5-Day Datong & Pingyao Tour from Datong to Pingyao

Tour Highlights
• Admire Hanging Temple, the only existing temple with Buddhism, Taoism & Confucianism combined together in China
• Marvel at Yungang Grottoes, a classical masterpiece of the first peak of Chinese Buddhist art
• Visit Huayan Temple with the oldest building in Datong, containing some remarkable Liao dynasty wooden sculptures
• Visit Shanhua Temple, the largest and best-preserved temple of the Liao Dynasty in existence in China
• Admire the Nine-Dragon Wall, the oldest, largest, and most enchanting dragon wall in China
• Visit Datong City Wall, 7.2km in circumference rebuilt recently
• Marvel at Pingyao, an exceptionally well-preserved example of a traditional Chinese city, founded in the 14th century
• Admire Shuanglin Temple with over 2,000 painted sculptures, reputed as an Oriental Art Gallery of Painted Sculptures
• Visit Wang Family Mansion, the largest of Shanxi Courtyard Houses which rivals Beijing's Forbidden City in its magnitude

Tour Itinerary at a Glance
• Day 1 Arrival in Datong, Datong Airport or Train Stations Transfer
• Day 2 Datong, The Hanging Temple, Yungang Grottoes
• Day 3 Datong, Huayan Temple, Shanhua Temple, Nine-Dragon Wall, City Wall, Bullet Train to Pingyao
• Day 4 Pingyao, the Ancient City of Pingyao
• Day 5 Pingyao, Shuanglin Temple, Wang Family Compound, Departure from Pingyao

Hotels & Meals
• 2 nights of accommodations at 4-star Hotel Datong or similar
• 2 nights of accommodations at 4-star Chengruihan Hotel Pingyao or similar
• Daily hotel breakfast included, lunch & dinner on your own

Price Remarks
• Prices are not valid during National Day (Oct 1-7), Chinese New Year, and Labor Day (May 1-5).
• Prices are based on double/twin/triple occupancy at the suggested hotels.
• A single supplement is charged for single room occupancy.

Price Inclusions
• Second class bullet train tickets.
• Hotel accommodation with daily breakfast.
• Professional English language speaking tour guide.
• Air-conditioned vehicle with an experienced driver.
• Admission tickets to sightseeing places.
• All government taxes.

Price Exclusions
• Your personal expenses.
• Tour guide for departure transfer.
• Lunches & dinners are excluded allowing you flexibility on menu.
• Travel insurance is not included. Please purchase before your trip to provide for any unforeseen circumstances.
• Gratuities to guide & driver. They are customary and would be of great encouragement and reward for quality service.

Additional Information
• Confirmation will be received at the time of booking.
• Operates in all weather conditions, please dress appropriately.
• The itinerary is subject to change due to traffic conditions or bad weather.
• The itinerary is flexible; changes can be made upon written request from travelers.
• Advice on Meals: Please feel free to ask your guide for recommendations on authentic local food.
• IMPORTANT: It is required by the government regulations that all travellers must provide their name, gender, nationality, passport number and date of birth to their tour operator upon booking a tour. Failure to do so could result in being denied access or admittance to sites and attractions during sightseeing. When you book this tour, please complete all required fields at checkout. Please bring your passport with you on the tour.

Cancellation Policy
• Cancellations made 31 days or more before departure will receive a 100% refund.
• Cancellations made 22-30 days before departure will incur a 10% fee.
• Cancellations made 15-21 days before departure will incur a 30% fee.
• Cancellations made 8-14 days before departure will incur a 50% fee.
• Cancellations made 0-7 days before departure are non-refundable.
• Once the tour commences, there are no refunds for unused services or missed days.
• Cancellation request will be confirmed within 2-5 business days, with refunds issued within 14 working days.

Tailor This Tour to Meet Your Needs
• If you've booked your own hotel, prefer a different stay, or wish to modify this itinerary, contact us via WhatsApp (+86 139 1083 0737) or email (info@GrandChinaTravel.com), and we'll craft a personalized tour just for you.

Know Before You Go
• Keep your passport with you throughout the tour; it may be needed to buy entrance tickets.
• Meals are not included; please feel free to ask your guide for recommendations.
• Tour guide's name and contact information will be confirmed via WhatsApp or email.
• Your guide will greet you in the airport/train station arrival hall with a GGC pickup sign displaying your name.

Day 1 Arrival in Datong
Meet your guide at Datong airport or train stations and transfer to your hotel in a comfortable private vehicle. After getting settled at the hotel, you may explore Datong on your own. Datong used to be a frontier land between the agricultural Chinese and the nomads of the Eurasian steppe and a stop-off point for camel caravans moving from China into Mongolia and beyond. In 398 CE the Northern Wei dynasty was established and Datong became the capital of Northern Wei from AD 398–494 when they controlled all of North China. Today, Datong is nicknamed the "City of Coal," Datong has as its primary economic activity the mining of coal.

Meals Included: No meals
Hotel: 4-star Hotel Datong or similar

Day 2 Datong, the Hanging Temple, Yungang Grottoes
Drive out of Datong to visit the Hanging Temple (about 84km). The Hanging Temple was built into a cliff (75-metre (246 ft) above the ground) near Mount Heng more than 1,500 years ago. This temple is notable not only for its location on a sheer precipice but also because it is the only existing temple with the combination of three Chinese traditional religions: Buddhism, Taoism, and Confucianism. Continue with a visit to Yungang Grottoes. The massive Yungang Buddhist grottoes were cut from the mid-5th Century to early-6th Century AD. Comprising 252 caves and niches and 51,000 statues within a carved area of 18,000 square meters, the Yungang Grottoes represent the outstanding achievement of Buddhist cave art in China. Yungang Grottoes have played a vitally important role among early Oriental Buddhist grottoes and had a far-reaching impact on Buddhist cave art in China and East Asia.

Meals Included: Breakfast at hotel
Hotel: 4-star  Hotel Datong or similar

Day 3 Datong, Huayan Temple, Shanhua Temple, Nine-Dragon Wall, City Wall, Bullet Train to Pingyao
Morning visit to Huayan Temple. Established in the Liao dynasty (907–1125), Huayan Temple has been burned down and rebuilt several times. The Mahavira Hall and Buddhist Texts Library still preserve the architectural style of the Liao and Jin dynasties (907–1234). It is an artistic complex of ancient Chinese architecture, sculpture, frescoes and inscriptions, as well as a cultural synthesis of religion and politics. Next, visit Shanhua Temple which was first founded during the early 8th century of the Tang Dynasty. The largest, and earliest hall, dating from the 11th-century Liao Dynasty, is the Mahavira Hall and is one of the largest of its kind in China. Continue with a visit to the Nine-Dragon Wall,  the oldest, largest, and most enchanting one among the three famous dragon walls in China. Afterwards, hike the newly rebuilt Datong City Wall which is 7.2km in circumference. Take bullet train to Pingyao (about 3 hours).

Meals Included: Breakfast at hotel
Hotel: 4-star Chengruihan Hotel Pingyao or similar

Day 4 Pingyao, the Ancient City of Pingyao
Explore the Ancient City of Pingyao from Rishengchang Exchange House. This establishment, which was founded in 1823, was the first draft bank to be set up in China. In a compound with three courtyards, Rishengchang Exchange House offers visitors a glimpse into the history of the early financial system and its operations. Next, visit the Armed Escort Museum to try out all the martial arts training setups and exotic weapons you've seen in Chinese movies. Continue with a visit to County Government Office which contains such facilities as a prison, a courtroom, meeting rooms, a garden, as well as residential quarters and offices for governmental officials. You may experience an court case reenactments of the late Qing dynasty here. Next, visit Pingyao’s oldest surviving building, the Confucius Temple which is where bureaucrats-to-be came to take the imperial exams in ancient China. Afterwards, visit the Temple of City God, divine protector of the ancient city of Pingyao. Finally, visit Pingyao City Wall. Built in 1370, the city wall of Pingyao stretches over a distance of about 6 km (3.73 miles). Climb up the stairs by the South Gate, where you'll get a panoramic view with the City Tower, the Confucius Temple and the City God Temple as backdrop.

Meals Included: Breakfast at hotel
Hotel: 4-star Chengruihan Hotel Pingyao or similar

Day 5 Pingyao, Shuanglin Temple, Wang Family Compound, Transfer to Pingyao Train Stations
Morning visit to Shuanglin Temple, a UNESCO World Heritage site inscribed in 1997. Founded in the 6th century, this temple is notable for its collection of colourful sculptures, lifelike in form, which were patterned on the design of the artistic traditions of the Song, Jin and Yuan periods. Thousands of extravagant figurines and relief sculptures that seem almost organically woven into the temple’s interior structures. They are considered among the finest examples of Chinese coloured sculptures. Afterwards, visit the Wang Family Compound, another UNESCO World Heritage Site. First constructed in the mid-17th century, the expansion of Wang's Family Compound continued for over a century. It is one of the largest of Ming Dynasties era architectural masterpieces. Transfer to Pingyao train station for your departure train. Wish you a pleasant journey and thank you for traveling with GoGrandChina.

Meals Included: Breakfast at hotel

Friendly Tips
• You may travel from Pingyao to Xian by bullet train (about 3 hours)
• You may travel from Pingyao to Beijing by bullet train (about 4 hours)
• Please feel free to contact your GGC service staff if you want to book discount flight & train tickets.