2-Day Datong: the Yungang Grottoes, the Hanging Temple & the Old City

A two-day private tour of China's northernmost great dynastic capital. The first day stays inside the walls: Datong was the Liao dynasty's western capital and the Ming dynasty's frontier garrison, and the Huayan and Shanhua monasteries, the Nine-Dragon Screen and the restored city wall are all within a short walk of each other. The second day goes out - first to the Yungang Grottoes, where fifty-three caves and some 51,000 figures were carved into the sandstone between 460 and 525 AD, and then south-east to the Hanging Temple at Hunyuan, a timber monastery pinned to a cliff face above a gorge.

• The Yungang Grottoes, carved between 460 and 525 AD under the Northern Wei
• The 17-metre seated Buddha of cave 20, the image of the site
• The Hanging Temple at Hunyuan, built into the cliff face above a gorge
• Hengshan, one of the five sacred mountains of Daoism, if the group wants the climb
• The Huayan and Shanhua monasteries inside the walled city
• The Nine-Dragon Screen of 1392, the largest of its kind in China

• Accommodation for 1 night at a 4-star or equivalent hotel, twin share, with daily breakfast
• Meals as listed in the daily itinerary (breakfasts and lunches as shown)
• Private air-conditioned vehicle with professional driver throughout
• English-speaking local guide (Spanish, French, German, Italian, Russian or Japanese on request)
• All entrance fees for the sites listed, including shuttle buses, eco-buses and cable cars where the site requires them
• Local handling and coordination service throughout the programme
• Bottled water (2 bottles per person per day) and audio headsets where group size requires them
• Travel accident insurance for the duration of the tour

• International air tickets and any domestic flights not listed in the itinerary
• China visa or visa-free entry documentation fees
• Meals not specified in the daily itinerary and all beverages/alcohol
• Tips for guides, drivers and hotel staff (suggested USD 8-12 per person per day)
• Personal expenses: laundry, telephone, minibar, shopping
• Optional activities and any item not listed under Price Includes
• Single-room supplement if a traveller requires a room alone
• Entry to the Nine-Dragon Screen is payable locally and is not included in the price shown
• Entry to the Hengshan scenic area and its cableway, if the group adds the mountain to the second day, is payable locally

Please read the notes below before you book. They cover entry formalities, pace, weather and what to bring.

Q: Is this tour private or shared?
A: It is a private tour for your own party, with a dedicated English-speaking guide and vehicle.

Q: Are airport transfers included?
A: Yes. Arrival and departure transfers in Datong, Shanxi are included, and your guide meets you with a name sign at the airport or rail station.

Q: Can the itinerary be customised?
A: Yes. Days can be added, removed or swapped, hotel categories upgraded, and business or school visits arranged, all before you confirm.

Q: How do we book and pay?
A: Send us your dates and group size for a same-day quotation. A deposit confirms the booking, the balance is due before arrival, and prices are guaranteed for 7 days.