Luoyang Departure Shaolin Temple Day Tour: Shaolin Kung Fu Show + Pagoda Forest
This morning, you will drive to visit Shaolin Temple in Dengfeng City, Zhengzhou (about 74 kilometers from Luoyang, about 70 minutes by car). [Shaolin Temple] is the ancestral home of Chinese Buddhist Chan Buddhism and the birthplace of Shaolin Kung Fu, enjoying the reputation of "Holy Land of Kung Fu." After arriving, you will first enjoy a 30-minute kung fu performance at the Shaolin Martial Arts Hall, experiencing the true skills of Shaolin warrior monks, combining hardness and softness.
Next, you will visit the majestic architectural complex of Shaolin Temple. The entire temple is arranged along the central axis with seven main halls in sequence. Among them, inside the mountain gate hangs a huge black plaque with golden characters—the three large characters "Shaolin Temple," personally inscribed by the Qing Dynasty Kangxi Emperor. The center of the temple is the Mahavira Hall, where monks chant scriptures daily and hold major ceremonies. On the floor inside the hall are nearly 50 small pits, said to be footprint marks left by monks of past generations during practice.
Afterward, you will visit the Pagoda Forest, the largest and longest-continuing ancient pagoda complex extant in China, worthy of being called a "museum of ancient architectural art." It contains more than 240 brick and stone tomb pagodas from the Tang, Song, Jin, Yuan, Ming, and Qing dynasties, burying eminent monks, abbots, and enlightened monks of past generations. The number of tiers of each pagoda (usually one to seven) symbolizes the monk's level of spiritual attainment during life, with seven tiers being the highest specification, representing highly respected abbot-level eminent monks. It is very worth seeing.
After the visit, your one-day Shaolin Temple tour will come to an end. Our driver will take you to Luoyang Airport or Railway Station, making it convenient for you to take your onward flight or high-speed rail to the next destination.
Optional itinerary: Sanhuangzhai hiking
This full-day hiking route through Sanhuangzhai will take you to appreciate the most magnificent scenery of Mount Song. [Sanhuangzhai] is about 15 kilometers from Shaolin Temple and is one of the most beautiful natural scenic areas of Mount Song. On the hiking route, you will see with your own eyes a rare wonder with 1.8 billion years of geological history—the "Book Cliff." Here the rock layers are no longer flat but stand vertically between heaven and earth like giant books, earning it the reputation of "the history book of the earth."
Next, you will cross a thrilling sky bridge (with a deep valley of more than 100 meters below), and walk along a cliff-hanging plank road clinging to jagged precipices, with a bottomless abyss below your feet, red cliffs beside you, and layered peaks in the distance. This is a challenging and refreshing journey, showing the wild and untamed side of the birthplace of Chan Buddhism. There is a saying: "If you don't reach Sanhuangzhai, you are not a true Shaolin guest."
Practical tips
Difficulty: Moderate to challenging (many stairs and steep slopes, especially the nearly 500 steps of "Haohan Slope").
Duration: About 5-6 hours for the full hike (including photo and rest time).
Location: South slope of Shaoshi Mountain, Dengfeng City (entrance usually via Sanhuangzhai trailhead or Shaolin Cableway)
Best season: April-June and September-November each year, with mild climate and the best scenery.
🍽️ Lunch included
🏨 /
