Tour Overview
| Duration | 4 Days / 3 Nights |
|---|---|
| Destination | Datong & Pingyao — Shanxi’s UNESCO Heritage Highlights |
| Price From | $749 per person (twin share) |
| Tour Style | Compact Heritage Express |
| Data Source | ChinaDiscovery.com 2026 |
Itinerary Highlights
Day 1: Arrive Datong
Welcome to Datong, the 5th-century capital of the Northern Wei Dynasty. Driver will pick you up from Yuyuan Airport. Afternoon visit to the Nine-Dragon Wall (大同九龙壁) — a 45-meter-long glazed-tile sculpture built in 1392 AD, the largest dragon wall in China. Walk the Ming Dynasty city wall (rebuilt) for views over the historic city. Visit the Dao Xiao Mian demonstration of Shanxi-style knife-cut noodles. Overnight in Datong.
Day 2: Yungang Grottoes & Hanging Temple
Morning at Yungang Grottoes — 51,000 statues carved into a sandstone cliff. Walk the 12 main caves, including the Tang Dynasty Cave 4 (4-meter seated Maitreya), the Cave 5 (richly decorated), and the largest Cave 6 (with its 17-meter seated Buddha). Drive 65km to Mount Heng and walk the suspended Hanging Temple (悬空寺, 491 AD). Walk the wooden planks along the cliff face, looking up at carved statues of Bodhisattvas. Afternoon visit to the Yingxian Wooden Pagoda (1056 AD) — the tallest surviving wooden pagoda in the world (67m, 32m wide). This Song Dynasty pagoda has stood without a single nail for nearly 1,000 years. Overnight in Pingyao.
Day 3: Pingyao — Wall & Mansion
Full day in Pingyao’s ancient walled city (UNESCO, founded 800+ years ago). Walk the Ming Dynasty city wall (1370 AD, 12km circumference) — 3-meter-high walls originally topped with 3,000 cannon battlement positions. Visit the Qiao Family Compound, the largest Shanxi merchant mansion (1756 AD, 313 rooms, 4 courtyards). Continue to the Wang Family Compound (1762-1816 AD), an 1,318-room estate of the Wang merchant family that supported the Qing Dynasty. Afternoon: walk Qingming Lane, the first steel-toed-cobblestone “South Street” of the city. Overnight in Pingyao.
Day 4: Pingyao & Depart
Morning visit to the Rishengchang Livery Store (1823), China’s first bank. Visit the Pingyao Museum of Ancient Bronze Ware — an outstanding collection of Bronze Age artifacts. Lunch with a Shanxi merchant family-style meal — try Pingyao beef, noodles, and Qing xiang vinegar. Transfer to Taiyuan or Taiyuan Airport for departure.
Inclusions
- 3 nights (1 Datong + 2 Pingyao)
- Yungang Grottoes + Hanging Temple (UNESCO)
- Nine-Dragon Wall + Yingxian Wooden Pagoda
- Pingyao Wall + Qiao Compound + Wang Compound
- Rishengchang Livery Store visit
- Private vehicle + English guide
