Buddhist and Mountaineering Tour to Shanxi

• Yungang Grottoes - Jiulong Wall

• 4+ stars hotel

• None

Today, you will explore the Yungang Grottoes, one of the Four Great Caves of China and a World Heritage Site. Preserved to the present in the Grottoes are 53 caves and over 51 000 statues. It not only shows the exquisite carving skills of ancient craftsmen, but also contains rich Buddhist culture and historical value.

We will visit Cave 5, the largest of the Yungang Grottoes and the most representative. The central seated statue of the Third Buddha in the cave is 17 meters high, which is the tallest statue of Buddha in the Yungang Grottoes.

In the afternoon, you will visit an amazing structure, Jiulong Wall. Nine lifelike dragons are depicted on it. The Nine Dragon Wall symbolizes suppressing evil spirits and blessing peace.

• Pagoda of Fogong Temple - the Xuankong Temple - Wutai Mountain

• 4+ stars Hotel

• Breakfast

You will be dropped off in Datong and traveled to the Pagoda of Fogong Temple. Not only is it the oldest and tallest wooden multi-storey building in the world, it is also breathtaking for its superb craftsmanship that requires no nails, screws or bolts. It is the world's tallest and oldest surviving pure wooden building, and is one of the "Three Wondrous Towers of the World" along with the Leaning Tower of Pisa in Italy and the Eiffel Tower in Paris.

You will then arrive at the Hanging Temple(Xuankong Temple), an ancient temple that was built in 491 and has endured for more than 1,500 years. The whole temple was built on the rock face of a sheer cliff, and the highest place in the temple is about 50 meters above ground,like suspending on the cliff face.

After visiting the Hanging Temple, you will arrive at Mount Wutai after a three-hour drive, where you will check into your hotel and refresh yourself for tomorrow's trip.

• Wutai Mountain-Tayuan Temple-Shuxiang Temple-Xiantong Temple-Bodhisattva's Peak

• 4+ stars Hotel

• Breakfast

After breakfast, you will proceed to explore Mount Wutai.

First you'll come to Tayuan Temple, which is rumored to hold the stupa of Shakyamuni's relics built by King Ashoka of ancient India and the precious hair of Manjushri.

Next, you will visit Shuxiang Temple (Temple of the Statue of Manjushri). It is famous for its huge statue of Manjushri, which is nearly 10 meters high. Many historical emperors and empresses have visited this temple.

You will then arrive at Xiantong Temple, one of the largest and oldest temples in Wutai Mountain. Most major Buddhist events and ceremonies are held here.

Finally, you will ascend to Bodhisattva Peak, which is said to be the true abode of Manjushri. The emperors of the Ming and Qing dynasties chose to stop here during their pilgrimages to Mount Wutai.

• Dailuoding Temple - Foguang Temple - Departure

• None

• Breakfast

After breakfast, you will go to Dai Luo Ding Temple, where you can stand overlooking the other temples and the magnificent panoramic view of the town of Taihuai. To reach the temple, you can choose to walk the "Dazhi Road", a stone path with about 1,080 steps, symbolizing wisdom and elimination of worries in Buddhism. Of course, you can also choose to take the cable car to reach the top quickly.

You will then proceed to another sacred Buddhist site, Foguang Temple, which is seldom visited by tour groups. Foguang Temple is not only a rare specimen of ancient wooden architecture in China and Asia, but also known as "China's first national treasure" by architect Mr. Liang Sicheng. Its discovery broke the assertion of Japanese scholars that there were no Tang Dynasty wooden buildings in China.