Zhengzhou 4-Day Tour: Longmen Grottoes & Henan Only Show
Zhengzhou 4-day tour covering Longmen Grottoes and Henan Only Show and Shaolin Temple. Sightseeing tickets and shuttle bus included.
Highlights
Day 1: Longmen Grottoes
Morning departure to Longmen Grottoes with your guide; ample time for photos and the highlights; local lunch; hotel in the evening.
Attraction: Today's itinerary includes Longmen Grottoes. 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. Highlights inside include the Vairocana Buddha, Binyang Caves, Lotus Cave.
Friendly tips: Plenty of walking—wear comfortable shoes and pack a light jacket; bring your ID and stay with your guide, noting the meeting time and place. Traveler feedback — Most travelers find the Lushena Buddha most moving; sunset light on the west hill is best for photos—wear comfy shoes, allow half a day. Practical note — Paved but long walking routes—wear comfy shoes and visit off-peak on holidays.
Day 2: Only Henan
Morning departure to Only Henan with your guide; ample time for photos and the highlights; local lunch; hotel in the evening.
Attraction: Today's itinerary includes Only Henan. Only Henan·Drama Fantasy City is a vast theatre cluster on Yellow River civilization—dozens of stages and loess walls, a phenomenon cultural landmark
Friendly tips: Plenty of walking—wear comfortable shoes and pack a light jacket; bring your ID and stay with your guide, noting the meeting time and place. Traveler feedback — Immersive theater loved by youth but pricey and long; pick core shows, allow half a day. Practical note — Only Henan Drama Park centers on theatre; one day can't cover all—plan shows ahead.
Day 3: Shaolin Temple
Morning departure to Shaolin Temple with your guide; ample time for photos and the highlights; local lunch; hotel in the evening.
Attraction: Today's itinerary includes Shaolin Temple. 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. Highlights inside include the main halls, the Pagoda Forest, the Cave of Bodhidharma.
Friendly tips: Plenty of walking—wear comfortable shoes and pack a light jacket; bring your ID and stay with your guide, noting the meeting time and place. Traveler feedback — The kung-fu show wins over families; the pagoda forest is often skipped—note commercialization, ask prices before buying. Practical note — Shaolin Temple links to the Pagoda Forest; check the day's kung fu show times on arrival.
Day 4: Return
Transfer to the departure terminal per your booked train or flight; keep travel documents and tickets in your carry-on.
Related Tours
Luoyang to Laojun Mountain summit and Yangzi Valley, 3 days
Three days from Luoyang. Two cable cars carry you to the golden summit, where autumn cloud seas arrive without warning and the lights come on around six. Then down into Yangzi Valley, one stream, gentle gradient, no sore legs.
Luoyang Departure Laojun Mountain and Longywan 3 Days
Three days from Luoyang: the first evening waiting below the golden summit for the lamps, the second climbing early for cloud, then a slow afternoon along the nine bends of Longywan. The ticket holds two days, so the mountain is never rushed.
Luoyang Departure Longmen Grottoes and White Horse Temple 3 Days
Three days from Luoyang: the carved cliff of the west bank first, then the oldest official Buddhist temple in China, then the Ming and Qing halls of Guanlin. Both nights stay inside the old city, so the lantern street is a walk away.
Luoyang to Shaolin Temple, Sanhuangzhai and Songyang Academy 5 Days
Five days from Luoyang. Songshan has two massifs, Taishi and Shaoshi: the Shaolin Temple and Sanhuangzhai sit on one, the Songyang Academy and Zhongyue Temple on the other. The 80 yuan Shaolin ticket already covers Sanhuangzhai.