2 Days Private Datong Highlights

Welcome to Datong! This morning, your guide and the driver will pick you up from your own-booked hotel by air-conditioned private car. If you arrive in Datong by morning train, they will be waiting for you outside the railway station.

Now, let’s start the 2 days private Datong tour package from the UNECSO-listed Yungang Grottoes, a splendid witness of cultural exchange. Datong was the capital from the 4th to the 5th centuries AD and was vital as the eastern endpoint of the ancient Silk Road, where envoys, merchants, and monks gathered to trade glassware and jewelry for luxurious silk. To revive Buddhism, the emperor summoned talented artisans, some from Central Asia, to carve the Yungang Grottoes. During exploration, you’ll see columns reflecting ancient Roman and Greek artistry in Cave No.9, Central Asian caravans in Cave No.16, and Buddha statues with high nose bridges, deep-set eyes, and curly eyebrows in Cave No.18. Perhaps the most impressive is Cave No.12, which showcases a music and dance drama blending styles from the Central Plains, nomadic regions and the Western Regions. Musicians played over 40 different instruments, while elegant dancers twirled around blooming lotus flowers. This scene beautifully embodies Datong’s name in Chinese - where the world converges in grand harmony!Our next stop will be the Huayan Temple. Climb the steps to its main hall, which appears to gradually rise like a curtain due to its unique wooden construction, topped with two roof tiles that have a dragon-like head and a fish-like tail. Since the dragon and fish are known for the ability to engulf flames while spitting water, they serve as spiritual firefighters for this entirely wooden hall. Besides, you can marvel at the underground palace made of 100 tons of pure copper and precious Buddhist relics at the temple’s lower part. Then, head east to the Nine-Dragon Screen, a screen wall in front of a prince’s mansion 600 years ago, believed to ward off evil spirits, which is the largest one of its kind throughout China. Its 45-meter (148-foot) long panorama is best captured with a wide-angle lens!

After that, let’s ascend the Ancient City Wall to measure Datong’s history. It is a three-dimensional defense system consisting of the main city walls, barbicans, outer walls, moat, and watchtowers. When enemies breached one of them, they would be trapped in a narrower and more deadly encirclement. Notably, the City Wall remain untouched by modern commercialization, providing a peaceful place for locals to stroll. You can even rent a bike to cycle around it! As the day wraps up, you’ll enjoy a private transfer back to your hotel.

► Night Activity Suggestion (at your own expense):
After a short rest, consider heading out to the Southeastern District of Datong Ancient City by yourself, where ancient street patterns blend seamlessly with creative shops and restaurants. You can appreciate the traditional quadrangle courtyard layout, discover intangible cultural heritage of bronze brass-making, and try local specialties like Cold Starch Jelly Noodles and Knife-cut Noodles.

Meal: Lunch