Xi‘an-Luoyang-Dengfeng-Zhengzhou

7-Day Han & Tang Capitals Tour: Xi'an, Luoyang, Shaolin & Zhengzhou

Designed for American Travelers · 5-Star Hotels · Meals Included · Private Transportation · Dedicated English-Speaking Guide

Stand before the silent Terracotta Army of China's first emperor, cycle the walls of the great Tang capital, glide by high-speed train along the ancient Silk Road, and trace the eastward journey of Buddhism from the White Horse Temple to the cliffside Longmen Grottoes — then watch Shaolin monks perform the kung fu born at their temple. Following the Yellow River from Chang'an to the Central Plains, this is the definitive Han-and-Tang civilization corridor, linking four UNESCO World Heritage Sites, three of China's greatest museums, and two of its most legendary ancient capitals in one seamless, privately escorted journey.

Tour Highlights

• The Terracotta Army — The Eighth Wonder of the Ancient World At the UNESCO-listed mausoleum of Qin Shi Huang, face row upon row of life-sized warriors, horses and chariots buried for 2,200 years to guard China's first emperor — one of the most astonishing archaeological discoveries ever made.
• Ancient Chang'an — Heart of the Tang Dynasty Cycle or walk the monumental Xi'an City Wall at golden hour, lose yourself in the lantern-lit lanes and great mosque of the Muslim Quarter, and stand at the Giant Wild Goose Pagoda, where the monk Xuanzang translated the scriptures he carried home from India — part of the UNESCO Silk Roads site.
• Longmen Grottoes — A Cliff of 100,00 Buddhas (UNESCO) Walk the limestone banks of the Yi River past 2,300 caves carved over 400 years, culminating in the serene 17-meter Vairocana Buddha of Fengxian Temple, the supreme masterpiece of Tang Buddhist sculpture — beautifully floodlit by night.
• White Horse Temple — Where Buddhism Took Root in China Visit China's very first Buddhist temple, founded in AD 68 when two Indian monks arrived in Luoyang bearing scriptures on a white horse — the spiritual beginning of Chinese Buddhism and the quiet source of every temple that followed.
• Shaolin Temple & the Pagoda Forest — Birthplace of Kung Fu (UNESCO) Beneath Mount Song, watch an electrifying kung fu demonstration by student monks, explore the 1,500-year-old cradle of Chan (Zen) Buddhism, and wander China's largest Pagoda Forest — all part of the UNESCO "Historic Monuments of Dengfeng."
• Exceptional Value, All-Inclusive Premium Tour Your package includes the Xi'an–Luoyang high-speed train, every private transfer, hand-picked 5-star and best-available hotels, an expert English-speaking guide, all entrance fees and museum reservations, plus daily breakfast and signature regional meals — no shopping stops, ever.

Day-by-Day Itinerary

Day 1 | Arrival in Xi'an · The Great Tang Capital

• Meals: Dinner
• Overnight: Xi'an, 5-star hotel inside or near the city wall

Full day: Private pickup at Xi'an Xianyang International Airport or Xi'an North High-Speed Railway Station and transfer to your hotel inside or near the ancient city wall.

• Late afternoon: Walk or cycle atop the monumental Xi'an City Wall — the most complete surviving city wall in China — as the light turns golden over the old capital.
• Evening: Dive into the bustling Muslim Quarter beneath the Bell and Drum Towers. Welcome dinner of hand-pulled biangbiang noodles, roujiamo ("Chinese hamburger") and persimmon cakes.

Day 2 | Terracotta Army & Huaqing Palace

• Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
• Overnight: Xi'an
• Morning: Drive east to Lintong. Approx. 1 hour. Visit the Museum of Qin Shi Huang's Terracotta Army, a UNESCO World Heritage Site: explore the three vaults — led by the vast Pit No. 1 with its 6,000-strong battle formation — plus the bronze chariot exhibition, with your specialist guide bringing the Qin empire to life.
• Lunch: Local farmhouse lunch near the site.
• Afternoon: Visit Huaqing Palace, the Tang imperial hot-spring resort at the foot of Mount Li, setting of the legendary romance between Emperor Xuanzong and Yang Guifei.
• Evening: Return to Xi'an. Optional acclaimed outdoor show The Everlasting Sorrow (seasonal).
  

Day 3 | Tang Treasures → High-Speed Train to Luoyang

• Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
• Overnight: Luoyang, 5-star hotel
• Morning: Visit the Shaanxi History Museum (free, advance reservation included; closed Mondays — your guide adjusts the order if needed), home to unrivaled Zhou, Qin, Han and Tang gold, silver and murals that tell the story of Chang'an at its peak. Continue to the Giant Wild Goose Pagoda and Ci'en Temple, part of the UNESCO Silk Roads: Chang'an–Tianshan Corridor network, where Xuanzang translated the Buddhist scriptures.
• Lunch: Famous Xi'an dumpling banquet.
• Afternoon: Transfer to Xi'an North Station and board a high-speed train to Luoyang Longmen Station. Approx. 1.5 hours.
• Evening: Check in, then wander the illuminated Lijing Gate and Luoyi Ancient City lanes.

Day 4 | Longmen Grottoes — A Thousand Buddhas on the Cliff (UNESCO)

• Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
• Overnight: Luoyang
• Morning (early): Enter the Longmen Grottoes, a UNESCO World Heritage Site carved across both banks of the Yi River from the Northern Wei through the Tang. Walk the West Hill to the supreme Fengxian Temple and its 17.14-meter Vairocana Buddha with the famed "Oriental Smile," then cross to the East Hill for a panoramic view back across the cliff.
• Lunch: Local Luoyang lunch.
• Afternoon: Continue to Xiangshan Temple and Bai Garden, the tranquil riverside tomb and garden of the Tang poet Bai Juyi. Optional short boat cruise for a water-level view of the grottoes.
• Evening: Optional illuminated Longmen night tour, when warm light outlines the niches and the Vairocana Buddha glows above the river; then a Luoyang Water Banquet — 24 soup-led dishes of the old imperial court.

Day 5 | White Horse Temple & Luoyang Museum → Dengfeng

• Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
• Overnight: Dengfeng, best-available comfort hotel
• Morning: Visit the White Horse Temple, founded in AD 68 and the oldest Buddhist temple in China, where the religion first took root on Chinese soil; its garden also contains international-style temples gifted by India, Thailand and Myanmar. Continue to the Luoyang Museum (free, advance reservation included; closed Mondays) for treasures of the thirteen dynasties that made Luoyang their capital, including Tang sancai tri-color glazed pottery.
• Lunch: Luoyang water-banquet-style lunch or beef noodles.
• Afternoon: Drive southwest through the Songshan hills to Dengfeng. Approx. 1.5 hours by private car; there is no train service, so your vehicle keeps this transfer comfortable. Settle in at the foot of the Central Sacred Mountain.
• Evening: Quiet evening and early rest ahead of the Shaolin day.

Day 6 | Shaolin Temple & Mount Song → Zhengzhou

• Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
• Overnight: Zhengzhou, 5-star hotel
• Morning: Explore Shaolin Temple, founded in AD 495 at the foot of Mount Song and the cradle of both Chan (Zen) Buddhism and Chinese kung fu: the temple halls, the thousand-Buddha pavilion where monks trained across the centuries, and the sacred Pagoda Forest of 248 stupas — all part of the UNESCO Historic Monuments of Dengfeng in "The Centre of Heaven and Earth." Watch the thrilling Shaolin kung fu performance by student monks — forms, weapons, qigong and feats of discipline.
• Lunch: Vegetarian temple lunch in the monk tradition.
• Afternoon (Optional): Cable car to the Sanhuang Plank Walk for cliff-edge Mount Song views, or visit the ancient Songyang Academy, one of China's four great Confucian academies. Then drive east to Zhengzhou. Approx. 1–1.5 hours.
• Evening: Farewell dinner of Zhengzhou braised lamb noodles (huimian).

Day 7 | Henan Museum & Departure

• Meals: Breakfast
• Morning: Visit the Henan Museum (free, advance reservation included; closed Mondays), one of China's great national museums — don't miss the 9,000-year-old Jiahu bone flute, the world's oldest playable instrument, and the bronze owl zun of Lady Fu Hao. If time allows, pass the Erqi Memorial Tower, the city's railway-era landmark, and the 3,600-year-old Shang-city earthen walls.
• Afternoon: Private transfer to Zhengzhou Xinzheng International Airport or Zhengzhou East High-Speed Railway Station for your onward journey.We recommend a flight or train after 14:00; please share your departure details when booking.

From a clay army frozen mid-march to a Buddha smiling over the Yi River and a monk's flying kick beneath Mount Song, you have followed the Yellow River through the centuries when China's civilization — its writing, its faith, its empire — took the shape the world still recognizes today.

What's Included

• Private air-conditioned vehicle with an experienced driver for all local touring and the Luoyang–Dengfeng–Zhengzhou transfers, plus arrival/departure transfers
• One Xi'an–Luoyang high-speed train in second class (first class available on request), with private station transfers
• Dedicated English-speaking guide for the full journey, with specialist on-site guidance at the Terracotta Army and Longmen Grottoes
• 6 nights' accommodation: 2 nights at a 5-star Xi'an hotel inside/near the city wall, 2 nights at a 5-star Luoyang hotel, 1 night at a best-available comfort hotel in Dengfeng, and 1 night at a 5-star Zhengzhou hotel (daily breakfast included)
• All entrance tickets and reservations: Terracotta Army, Huaqing Palace, Shaanxi History Museum, Giant Wild Goose Pagoda complex, Longmen Grottoes (incl. East Hill, Xiangshan Temple and Bai Garden), White Horse Temple, Luoyang Museum, Shaolin Temple with kung fu show and Pagoda Forest, and Henan Museum; optional Longmen boat, night tour and Mount Song cableway at cost
• Selected meals: 6 breakfasts, 6 lunches and 3 dinners, featuring Xi'an biangbiang noodles and dumpling banquet, Luoyang Water Banquet and beef noodles, Shaolin vegetarian food, and Zhengzhou braised lamb noodles
• Bottled water in the vehicle and 24/7 on-trip assistance
• No shopping stops — a pure, privately escorted history and heritage experience

What to Know

• Route & pacing: This is a one-way west-to-east journey along the ancient Silk Road and Yellow River corridor — arrive in Xi'an and depart from Zhengzhou, with no backtracking. The 1.5-hour high-speed train links the two great Tang/Han capitals, while private cars cover the Luoyang–Dengfeng–Zhengzhou section, which has no convenient rail service.
• Four UNESCO sites: the Mausoleum of the First Qin Emperor (Terracotta Army), 1987; the Giant Wild Goose Pagoda within the serial Silk Roads: Chang'an–Tianshan Corridor, 2014; the Longmen Grottoes, 2000; and the Historic Monuments of Dengfeng in "The Centre of Heaven and Earth," 2010 (including Shaolin Temple and the Pagoda Forest). The Xi'an City Wall, Muslim Quarter, White Horse Temple and the three museums are important national heritage sites but are not themselves UNESCO-listed.
• Museum closures: The Shaanxi History Museum, Luoyang Museum and Henan Museum are free but require real-name advance reservation and are closed on Mondays (except public holidays). We schedule around the day of the week using your passport details — carry your passport every day — and swap the order if your dates fall on a Monday.
• Best seasons: April–May and September–October are ideal — mild and clear, with Luoyang's famous peonies in mid-April. Summers are hot (30–38 °C); the Terracotta pits and Longmen walk involve little shade, so sun protection and water are essential. Winters are cold but uncrowded.
• Walking level: Moderate. Expect extensive walking and many stone steps at the Terracotta Army, Longmen (a full cliffside traverse with stairs) and Shaolin; the optional Mount Song plank walk is the only strenuous part and can be skipped. Comfortable non-slip shoes are essential.
• Evening options: The Everlasting Sorrow show at Huaqing Palace (seasonal, Mar–Oct) and the floodlit Longmen night tour are popular add-ons with limited same-day tickets; we book them in advance if you'd like them.
• Food: Shaanxi and Henan cooking is savory and wheat-based — noodles, dumplings, buns and braised meats — generally milder than Sichuan food, with chili oil served on the side. The Luoyang Water Banquet can be made vegetarian, and the Shaolin meal is vegetarian; please advise dietary needs in advance.
• Connecting onward: Zhengzhou is China's central railway hub and offers frequent high-speed trains nationwide plus a major international airport. We're glad to extend the journey east to Kaifeng (the Northern Song capital), north to Anyang's oracle-bone ruins, or onward to Beijing or Shanghai.