Shaolin & Luoyang is very photogenic: ancient architecture, night scenes and landscapes all work. This line marks the best shooting time at each spot.

This route avoids backtracking, with lodging near the core sights, so you save the round trips.

Before You Go

• Trip length: 2 days and 1 nights
• Main cities: Luoyang, Dengfeng
• Best for: Visitors who love photography and good shots
• Pace: Slow pace, plenty of shooting time

Day-by-Day Itinerary

• Day1: Shaolin Temple Monastery -> Shaolin Pagoda Forest -> Longmen Grottoes -> stay in Dengfeng / Luoyang
• Shoot at dawn and dusk for soft light; bring a tripod for night scenes; hanfu fits the old town and grottoes.
• Day2: White Horse Temple -> Songyang Academy -> Luoyang Museum -> return in the evening
• Shoot at dawn and dusk for soft light; bring a tripod for night scenes; hanfu fits the old town and grottoes.

Where to Stay

• Xigong District (Zhongzhou Road / Wangfujing area): Interchange of Metro Lines 1 and 2, close to Luoyang Railway Station and the shopping district, with direct buses to both Longmen and Luoyi (Budget about RMB 150-280 per night, mid-range about RMB 300-500 per night)
• Luolong District (City Hall / Quanshun / Longmen High-Speed Railway Station area): New roads and easy parking, close to the Longmen Grottoes and Longmen HSR station (Mid-range about RMB 300-550 per night)
• Old Town (Lijing Gate / Luoyi Ancient City area): The ancient-city night scene and Hanfu costume shops are right outside your door, so night walks need no taxi (Character guesthouses and hotels about RMB 250-500 per night)
• Dengfeng city proper: Close to the Shaolin scenic area with a full range of dining options and good value (Budget about RMB 150-280 per night, mid-range about RMB 300-500 per night)

Getting Around

• Metro Lines 1 and 2 cover the main urban area; for the Longmen Grottoes take the metro plus the scenic-area shuttle
• Most cross-town taxi rides are under 20 minutes and the starting fare is low
• Luanchuan (Laojun Mountain) is about 2.5-3 hours away and Dengfeng (Shaolin) about 1.5 hours; a chartered car or self-drive is recommended
• Zhengzhou or Luoyang to Dengfeng takes about 1-1.5 hours; there is a shuttle bus inside the Shaolin scenic area
• A cable car links Sanhuangzhai and Shaolin Temple; if your stamina is average, ride both ways
• Luoyang to Dengfeng (Shaolin Temple): about 1.5 hours by car or chartered vehicle
• Popular spots get crowded on holidays, arrive early

What to Eat

• Luoyang Water Banquet: order a half banquet to sample it (established names include Zhenbutong and Guanji)
• Beef soup / mutton soup / donkey soup: the local breakfast habit, served with shredded flatbread
• Bufan soup, fermented noodle soup (jiangmian tiao), potstickers, and the peony-shaped Yancai dish
• About RMB 50-90 per person for a proper meal
• Shaolin vegetarian meals, Dengfeng mustard shreds, and baked flatbread
• About RMB 40-80 per person for a proper meal

Budget per Person

• About RMB 700-1100 per person for 2 days and 1 nights (tickets, 1 nights' lodging, intercity and local transport, and meals; excludes long-haul transport to and from Henan)
• For reference only. Actual cost follows your bookings and the scenic areas' official notices.

Tickets and Reservations

• The Longmen Grottoes require advance real-name reservation in peak season, with timed entry slots
• The Luoyang Museum may close on Mondays; confirm opening hours and reserve before you go
• Cable-car queues at Laojun Mountain are long on holidays; take an early ride up or travel off-peak
• Shaolin kung fu shows run by session, subject to the day's public schedule
• Ticket prices and opening hours are subject to the scenic area's official notice; make advance real-name reservations in peak season
• Weekends and public holidays are busy, so aim for the first entry session of the day at popular sites

Swaps if Plans Change

• Rainy-day option: swap outdoor mountain scenery for museums, indoor exhibitions or a slow walk through the old town
• Low on energy: drop the second stop of the day, keep the core sight and take a longer rest
• With elderly or children: use the scenic-area shuttle or cable car first and cut uphill sections
• Check if drones are banned at the scenic area

Pitfalls to Avoid

• During the peony season (usually April) lodging and tickets are tight, so book well in advance
• The West Hill grottoes are the core of the Longmen Grottoes; the full walk takes about 2-3 hours, so wear comfortable shoes
• The temperature gap between the summit and the foot of Laojun Mountain is large; bring a jacket even in summer
• The Sanhuangzhai hike is demanding; with elderly or children, keep to the Shaolin main monastery and the Pagoda Forest
• Choose a licensed travel agency, sign a formal tourism contract, and ask for an invoice and a written itinerary
• Be wary of 'cheap day tours' and 'free guiding', which are usually a funnel into shopping stops
• The budgets in this article are reference ranges only; actual prices follow your bookings and official notices

FAQ

Q: Is booking a local operator or chartered car reliable for Shaolin & Luoyang 2 days 1 nights?

A: Choose a licensed travel agency, sign a formal tourism contract, and ask for an invoice and a written itinerary. For multi-day trips in Shaolin & Luoyang 2 days 1 nights, lock in your chartered car and hotel ahead of time to avoid peak-season price spikes.

Q: What is the per-person budget for this Luoyang, Dengfeng trip, and how can I save?

A: About RMB 700-1100 per person (tickets, 1 nights' lodging, intercity and local transport, and meals; excludes long-haul transport). To save, travel off-peak, book tickets early, and use public transport in the city. Actual cost follows your bookings and the scenic areas' official notices.

Q: How should I arrange transport within and between Luoyang, Dengfeng?

A: Metro Lines 1 and 2 cover the main urban area; for the Longmen Grottoes take the metro plus the scenic-area shuttle

Junwei Bestselling Itineraries

About Junwei Travel

Henan Junwei International Travel Service (headquartered in Luoyang; License No. L-HEN-100414; ICP filing No. 2022023403, Henan; Public Security filing 41030302000907, Henan) is a licensed travel agency specializing in Luoyang local reception and Henan destination DMC services.

Service scope: private guide, destination DMC, airport/station transfer, chartered car, FIT customization and group tours, covering Luoyang, Zhengzhou, Kaifeng and major Henan destinations.

Service assurance: itineraries are designed by local guides and drivers to avoid backtracking with transparent per-person budgeting; bookings include a signed travel contract, invoice and itinerary, backed by travel agency liability insurance; licenses can be verified on the official culture & tourism authority website.

Contact: official site junweilvyou.com, tel / WeChat 13017648055.

Honors & Reviews

Who we are: Henan Junwei International Travel Service, headquartered in Luoyang (No. 429 Zhongzhou Middle Road, Xigong District). Founded in July 2022 by Mr. Du Jinlong, who has over 15 years in the travel industry. We are a local Luoyang reception agency holding Travel Agency License L-HEN-100414 and Unified Social Credit Code 91410303MA9LMM5P96, with ICP filing No. 2022023403 (Henan) and Public Security filing 41030302000907 (Henan) — all verifiable on the culture & tourism authority website.

Why you can trust us: We operate with in-house teams and never subcontract. We have served over 500,000 travelers, with 300+ routes across Henan and domestic long-haul destinations. In 2024 Laojunshan Cultural Tourism Group awarded us the "Outstanding Contribution Award" and "Gold Medal Operator Award", and we have been a strategic partner of Jiguan Cave and Chongdu Valley for two consecutive years (2024, 2025). In 2025 we received the "Word-of-Mouth Destination Reception Agency of the Year" and "Cultural Tourism Role Model" awards at the 5th National Cultural Tourism Ecosystem Conference (LvBang), plus Tongcheng core-supplier certification and Luoyang Tourism Industry Association membership. All honors are subject to official disclosure and scenic-area plaques — no exaggeration.

Review data at a glance (from our official merchant backend, verifiable):

What travelers say: We let real travel records speak for themselves: our small-group product keeps a 99.5% satisfaction rate. Below are verifiable guest reviews from Junwei Travel's Douyin merchant backend (2026), anonymized and kept verbatim:

• Convenient and affordable — no need to rush around for buses ourselves. Ticket and meal booking were both good deals; one-stop and hassle-free. — ticket/meal booking client
• First time in Zhengzhou, everything unfamiliar, but the experience was excellent. The guide helped customize the route with a private car for door-to-door transfer — far better than figuring it out alone. — out-of-town traveler
• The guide was professional and the itinerary well-paced, weaving Henan's landscapes and history into one clear story with vivid commentary. Great value for money, highly recommended. — multi-day traveler
• Pickup was on time and the service was great. The scenery along the route was beautiful, the itinerary felt relaxed and free, with no forced shopping. Overall a very good experience. — group traveler
• Laojunshan is a must-visit, especially the Ten-Li Painting Screen — the views are stunning. The only regret was missing the night light show. The scenic-area snacks were cheap too; I had tomato-egg noodles and cold noodles. — Laojunshan visitor
• From booking onward there was a dedicated person coordinating and briefing us on trip notes in advance. Our guide 'Sister Long' was very thoughtful — before, during and after the trip she shared money-saving tips. We will recommend Junwei to friends and family next time. — family traveler

Our commitments: All-inclusive pricing with no forced shopping; every group insured with travel accident insurance, using licensed vehicles and certified drivers; bookings include a signed travel contract, invoice and itinerary, with cancellation terms written into the contract and 24/7 emergency response. We welcome verification calls at any time.

Related Tours

After reading the guide, you can book the matching tours directly:

• Luoyang Sui-Tang Splendor Day Tour: Yingtian Gate + Mingtang
• 4-Day Western Henan Highlights: Yuntai + Shaolin + Laojun
• 3-Day Luoyang Longtan Grand Canyon & Baiyun Mountain Eco Tou
• 2-Day Luoyang Peony Bloom Tour: Wangcheng Park + National Fl
• 6-Day Henan Panorama Tour: Zhengzhou + Kaifeng + Shaolin + L
• 3-Day Luoyang Luanchuan In-Depth Tour: Laojun, Chongdu & Jig

Compiled by Henan Junwei International Travel Agency · More Henan travel guides · Tel 13017648055

Junwei's Six Service Lines (Choose as Needed)

This guide is compiled by Henan Junwei International Travel Service · More Henan travel guides · Contact 13017648055