Luoyang Private Day Trip: Longmen Grottoes, White Horse Temple & Guanlin Temple

Tour Highlights
• Admire the awe-inspiring Longmen Grottoes, one of China's handful of surviving masterpieces of Buddhist rock carving
• Visit White Horse Temple, the very first Buddhist temple in China, having been first established in 68 AD
• Visit Guanlin Temple to Worship Guan Yu, a Taoist deity of Martial God of Wealth and also well thought of by Buddhists

About This Tour
• Departure: Daily departing from Luoyang
• Tour Duration: Approximately 8 hours.
• Guide Languages: Chinese & English.
• Pickup Time: Between 07:00 and 10:00, choose a departure time most suitable for you.
• Pickup & Drop-off Place: Your accommodation in Luoyang
• Advice on Meals: Lunch is not included in this tour. We recommend having a substantial breakfast and bringing snacks in case you get hungry while sightseeing. If you'd like to experience authentic local cuisine for lunch, feel free to inform your guide, who will be happy to assist.

Tour Itinerary at a Glance
• Pick up from your accommodation in Luoyang
• Visit Longmen Grottoes (2 hours)
• Lunch on your own
• Visit White Horse Temple (1 hour)
• Visit Guanlin Temple (1 hour)
• Transfer back to your accommodation in Luoyang

Price Remark
• Prices are not valid during National Day (Oct 1-7), Chinese New Year, and Labor Day (May 1-5).

Price Inclusions
• Professional English language speaking tour guide.
• Air-conditioned vehicle with an experienced driver.
• Admission tickets to sightseeing places.
• All government taxes.

Price Exclusions
• Hotel accommodation.
• Meals are excluded allowing you flexibility on menu.
• Your personal expenses.
• 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.
• IMPORTANT: It is required by the government regulations that travelers 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 24 hours prior to the scheduled departure time will receive a 100% refund.
• Cancellations made within 24 hours of the tour's start time or after the tour begins are non-refundable.
• 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 want to customize this itinerary, contact us via WhatsApp (+86 139 1083 0737) or email (info@GrandChinaTravel.com). We'll create a tailor-made tour package just for you.

Know Before You Go
• Keep your passport with you throughout the tour; it may be needed to buy entrance tickets.
• Pickup time, guide's name, and contact information will be confirmed via WhatsApp or email.
• Your guide will be at the meeting point, holding a GGC pickup sign with your name.
• Meals are not included; please feel free to ask your guide for recommendations.
• If you book an Airbnb, please note that door-to-door pickup and drop-off might not be provided.
• There's a 20-minute grace period for waiting. Failure to show up will result in tour cancellation & no refund.

Hotel Pickup, Transfer to Longmen Grottoes
Your private guide will be holding GoGrandChina pick-up sign and waiting for you in your hotel lobby (or other appointed meeting place) at the appointed time. You will be transferred to Longmen Grottoes in a comfortable private vehicle.

Visit Longmen Grottoes (2 hours)
Listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, Longmen Grottoes are Buddhist cave complex consisting of more than 2300 caves and niches carved into the steep limestone cliffs over a 1km long stretch. These contain almost 110,000 Buddhist stone statues, more than 60 stupas and 2800 inscriptions carved on steles. Created over the course of approximately five centuries beginning in the year 493, these grottoes, along with the statues and inscriptions carved within, provide a window into the political, cultural, and artistic circumstances of the late Northern Wei and Tang Dynasties.

Lunch at Your Own Expense
Please feel free to ask your guide for suggestions and recommendations.

Visit White Horse Temple (1 hour)
The White Horse Temple is the first Buddhist temple in China, having been first established in 68 AD under the patronage of Emperor Ming in the Eastern Han dynasty. The temple, although small in comparison to many others in China, is considered by most believers as "the cradle of Chinese Buddhism". The main temple buildings, a large complex, were reconstructed during the Ming (1368 to 1644) and Qing (1644 to 1912) dynasties. They were refurbished in the 1950s, and again in March 1973. It has numerous halls divided by courtyards and manicured gardens, covering an area of about 13 hectares (32 acres). The display plaques in Chinese and English give ample descriptions of the Buddhist deities installed in the halls. Significant statues include Śākyamuni Buddha, Maitreya (the laughing Buddha in China), the Jade Buddha, figures of saints such as Guru Avalokiteśvara, Amitābha and arhats and stone statues of the two white horses which brought the Indian monks to China and two mythical lions at the entrance. 

Visit Guanlin Temple (1 hour)
Guanlin Temple is the tomb of Guan Yu where his head and wooden body were buried almost 1800 years ago. Known as Lord Guan, Guan Yu was the iconic general of the Kingdom of Shu at tail end of the Han dynasty (206 BCE – 220 CE) and beginning of the Three Kingdoms Period (220 – 280 CE). His image is pervasive in China and you can see his long-bearded red-faced grimace in Chinese businesses around the world. Guan Yu has been immortalised and worshipped for his strength and loyalty since his death in 220 AD. His story has been enjoyed by generations of readers of the famous 14th century Chinese classic, the Romance of the Three Kingdoms. Guan Yu is special in China as he is venerated in the Shenist Chinese folk religion as well as all three of the major doctrines; Confucianism, Taoism and Buddhism. In Taoism, he is a deity known as Holy Ruler Emperor Guan, while in Buddhism he is a protector of the dharma called Sangharama Bodhisattva. In Shenism he is the god of law, policemen, gangsters, fortune and war. Guan Yu is seen and worshipped as God of Wealth in Chinese influenced cultures around the world.

Transfer Back to Your Hotel
Your guide and driver will transfer you back to your hotel in Luoyang.