Luoyang 4-Day Tour: Shaolin Temple & Longmen Grottoes

Mount Song, the central peak of China's Five Sacred Mountains, unites Confucian, Buddhist and Taoist sites; its 'Centre of Heaven and Earth' complex is a UNESCO site. Hike to Junji Peak and visit Songyang Academy and Zhongyue Temple.

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.

Kaifeng, an eight-dynasty capital, revives Northern Song splendour at the Qingming Riverside Garden. Visit Lord Bao's Temple, Iron Pagoda and the Song-dynasty canal by night; taste soup dumplings at the bustling night market.