5 Days Datong and Wutai Cultural Tour

Pick up at flight/train station arrival and help you to check in your hotel. The rest of the time will be free on your own or take an optional evening tour depending on your interests and arrival time.

A day dedicated to the city highlights. We start from the most important site of Yungang Grottoes and spend two hours or more here. Yungang Cave is one of the most supreme achievements of Buddhist cave art in China. The remains of this wonder comprise of 252 caves and niches with over 51,000 ancient statues and celestial beings, all were built by the top artists 1500 years ago. Each is unique and beautifully painted with mixture of Chinese character and influences of designs from Indian, Persian and Greek that swept along the Silk Road.

In the afternoon, we visit Huayan Temple, a nearly 1000-year old Buddhist Temple, located right in the downtown of Datong city. There are beautiful artistic sculptures, frescos and inscriptions in the ancient architectures. Huayan pagoda also provides a very good overview over the whole old city at its highest balcony. Then take a brief visit of Ancient City Wall that was reconstructed from its remains.

Check out after breakfast and we will depart for Wutai after visit of Hangying Monastery and Wooden Pagoda. Located 1.5 hours south of Datong, Hangying Monastery is a beautiful architectural wonder with history over 1,500 years. It was built on the west cliff of Jinxia Gorge, more than 60 meters above the foot of Mt. Heng. The whole complex based on the support of wooden pillars inserted into the side of the cliff, and rock at the back of the building, seemingly hanging on the cliff face. The temple was built for religious purpose and it is the only existed one hosting worship for the Taoists, Confucians and Buddhists.

Then we drive 70km to Ying Xian county to have a brief visit of the world’s tallest Wooden Pagoda. It was built without the help of a single nail, screw or bolt, and has survived from all the natural disasters for nearly a century. It is a shinning spot for architecture lovers.

Afterwards, continue a drive to Mt. Wutai.

Spend a whole day discovering Mount Wutai (Wutaishan) scenic area. Mount Wutai is one of the four holy Buddhist mountains in China. This sacred Buddhist place is seen as center for Buddhis Manjusri and popular destination for pilgrimages from across of wide area in Asia. The name “Wutai” derives from its five flat peaks, each has a monastery. There were 360 temples at peak during Tang Dynasty (618-907), 47 of them survived including some oldest wooden structures in China. Throughout centuries, Han Buddhism and Tibetan Buddhism, monks from different ethnicities co-exist harmoniously here, and that can’t be found anywhere else. Apart from religious interests, the mountains are also good summer resorts and photography base for beautiful mountains landscape with inseparable Chinese ancient architectures.

After breakfast, transfer you to the airport/train station in Taiyuan.

Bullet trains connect Taiyuan conveniently with Beijing, Xian and many other major cities in China.