6-Day Private Tour: Xi’an, Luoyang, and Shaolin Temple

Welcome to Xi’an, one of China’s most storied ancient capitals. Upon arrival, your private guide will greet you at the airport or railway station and escort you to your hotel by private vehicle.

During the transfer, your guide will introduce you to Xi’an’s remarkable past and vibrant present, offering a first glimpse into the city’s unique historical character. The rest of the day is yours to relax or begin exploring at your own pace.

Meals: Breakfast and Lunch
After breakfast, set out with your private guide for a comfortable drive to the Terracotta Warriors and Horses Museum, one of the most extraordinary archaeological discoveries in the world.

Take a tram into the museum area and explore the famous excavation pits, where thousands of life-sized soldiers, horses, and chariots stand in silent formation beneath vast hangars. As your guide brings the site to life, you will learn about Emperor Qin Shi Huang’s vision for the afterlife, the remarkable craftsmanship of the figures, and the techniques used to preserve and restore these ancient masterpieces. You will also gain a closer understanding of the restoration process and the original painted details that once gave the warriors their vivid appearance.

Later, continue to Huaqing Palace, a celebrated Tang Dynasty retreat nestled at the foot of Lishan Mountain. Renowned for its hot springs, elegant gardens, and imperial associations, the site is also deeply connected to the legendary love story of Emperor Xuanzong and Yang Guifei. In the evening, you may choose to attend the acclaimed outdoor performance The Song of Everlasting Sorrow, which recreates this enduring romance in a spectacular setting.

After the tour, return to your hotel in Xi’an.

Meals: Breakfast and Lunch
After breakfast, begin the day at the Small Wild Goose Pagoda, an elegant Tang Dynasty structure set within the peaceful grounds of Jianfu Temple. A symbol of Buddhist architecture and resilience, the pagoda offers a refined introduction to Xi’an’s religious and artistic heritage.

Continue to the Xi’an Museum, where an impressive collection of relics, ceramics, calligraphy, paintings, and historical artifacts presents a vivid overview of the city’s development across successive dynasties.

Later, visit the Ancient City Wall, one of the most complete and best-preserved city walls in China. Walking along its broad ramparts, you will enjoy sweeping views that reveal the fascinating contrast between Xi’an’s old quarters and its modern urban landscape.

The day concludes in the lively Muslim Quarter, where the aroma of local delicacies drifts through narrow lanes lined with food stalls, shops, and traditional façades. Here, you can sample regional snacks and experience one of the city’s most distinctive cultural neighborhoods.

After the tour, return to your hotel in Xi’an.

Meals: Breakfast and Lunch
After breakfast, transfer to the railway station for a high-speed train journey to Luoyang, another of China’s great ancient capitals. Upon arrival, your local guide will meet you and accompany you to the legendary Shaolin Temple.

Set amid forested hills, Shaolin Temple is revered as the birthplace of Chan Buddhism and the spiritual home of Chinese Kung Fu. Explore the temple complex by tram and on foot, visiting its historic halls, courtyards, and the renowned Pagoda Forest, where generations of eminent monks are memorialized in elegant brick and stone stupas. As you explore, your guide will introduce the temple’s enduring influence on Chinese religion, philosophy, and martial culture.

You will also attend a Kung Fu performance, where Shaolin practitioners demonstrate the discipline, precision, and power that have made this tradition world famous.

Later, visit Yingtianmen, the reconstructed southern gate of Luoyang’s ancient imperial city. From here, enjoy panoramic views and a sense of the grandeur that once defined this historic capital. If time permits, you may also stroll through the nearby evening market to sample local snacks and browse for souvenirs.

After the tour, check in at your hotel in Luoyang.

Meals: Breakfast and Lunch
After breakfast, visit White Horse Temple, widely recognized as the first Buddhist temple in China. With its tranquil courtyards, ancient halls, and deep spiritual significance, the temple offers a compelling introduction to the arrival and development of Buddhism in China.

Continue to the magnificent Longmen Grottoes, one of the finest examples of Buddhist stone carving in the world. Stretching along dramatic limestone cliffs beside the Yi River, the site contains tens of thousands of Buddhist figures carved over centuries, ranging from tiny devotional images to monumental statues of striking grandeur. As you walk through the grottoes, your guide will reveal the religious, artistic, and historical significance of this UNESCO World Heritage Site.

After the visit, transfer to the railway station for your high-speed train back to Xi’an. Upon arrival, your guide will meet you and escort you to your hotel.

Meals: Breakfast
Enjoy some free time at leisure before your private transfer to the airport or railway station.

Your journey concludes today, leaving you with lasting memories of China’s ancient capitals, imperial heritage, and spiritual traditions.