Luoyang 5-Day Tour: Longmen Grottoes, White Horse Temple and Mount Song and Shaolin Temple from Luoyang

Longmen Grottoes are carved into cliffs along the Yi River, with over 2,000 niches and 100,000+ statues; the Vairocana Buddha at Fengxian Temple is breathtaking. Along with Dunhuang and Yungang, it is a pinnacle of Northern Wei to Tang stone carving.

Laojun Mountain in Luanchuan, Luoyang, is a sacred Taoist peak of the Funiu range. The golden summit temples rise above the sea of clouds; the Ten-Mile Painting Screen trail offers ever-changing views. Take the cable car up and, on clear days, catch the sunrise over the clouds.

Shaolin Temple sits at the foot of Songshan's Shaoshi Peak in Dengfeng — the cradle of Chan Buddhism and Shaolin Kung Fu. The main monastery, Forest of Pagodas and martial-arts shows are highlights; nearby Songyang Academy rounds out a day of heritage.

Shaolin Temple sits at the foot of Songshan's Shaoshi Peak in Dengfeng — the cradle of Chan Buddhism and Shaolin Kung Fu. The main monastery, Forest of Pagodas and martial-arts shows are highlights; nearby Songyang Academy rounds out a day of heritage.

White Horse Temple in eastern Luoyang, founded in the Eastern Han, is revered as China's first Buddhist monastery. Its pagoda and Burmese/Indian-style halls make it a serene, multicultural heritage site with two millennia of history.