Datong Trip Overview
Marvel at the Hanging Monastery in Jinxia Gorge, visit the oldest wooden pagoda in China at Yingxian, and see the rock cut architecture of the Yungang Grottoes.
Additional Info
Duration: 9 hours
Starts: Datong, China
Trip Category: Tours & Sightseeing >> Full-day Tours
Explore Datong Promoted Experiences
What to Expect When Visiting Datong, Shanxi, China
Marvel at the Hanging Monastery in Jinxia Gorge, visit the oldest wooden pagoda in China at Yingxian, and see the rock cut architecture of the Yungang Grottoes.
Itinerary
This is a typical itinerary for this product
Stop At: Hengshan Hanging Temple (Xuankong si), Hengshan, Datong China
Your private guide will meet you in the lobby of your Datong hotel at 7.30 am for a 1.5 hours drive to the Hanging Monastery.
Upon arrival at the Hanging Monastery (Xuankong Si) you will immediately be struck by the ingenious construction of buildings that leaves them hanging more than 50 meters above the ground on the sheer cliff face. Built in the late 5th century, the monastery combines the religions of Buddhism, Taoism and Confucianism with the rare occurrence of statues from each appearing together inside the temple. The first entrance ticket is included.
Duration: 1 hour
Stop At: Ying Xian Wooden Pagoda, 76km (47 miles) south of Datong, Datong China
Continue your journey with a 1 hour drive to Ying Xian County to visit the Wooden Pagoda. Built almost 1,000 years ago during the Liao Dynasty, the Wooden Pagoda is the tallest and oldest wooden structure in China. The unique design and structure of the Pagoda has enabled it to withstand even the most severe weather events over the centuries. Although from the outside it appears to have just five levels, when you enter inside you will discover it actually has nine levels and the whole structure is held together without nails or screws.
Duration: 1 hour
Stop At: Yungang Grottoes, Wuzhou Mountain, Urban Area, Datong 37000 China
Drive a further 1.5 hours to the Yungang Grottoes. The Grottoes are a stunning array of stone carvings dating back to the 5th and 6th centuries.There are over 200 grottoes with over 50,000 statues of Buddha, large and small. The whole site was UNESCO World Heritage Listed in 2001 and is considered to be the most outstanding example of Buddhist cave art in China. Despite hundreds of years being subject to erosion, with careful restoration over the centuries the caves and statues are still a magnificent display today. You will have plenty of time to enjoy the caves and statues and your guide will point out and explain the ones not to be missed.
Duration: 2 hours
