Classic Private Datong Day Tour

Welcome to choose this private Datong day tour to explore its must-visit sites with our seamless private car transfer and knowledgeable guide! This morning, your guide and the driver will pick you up from your own-booked hotel at the time agreed with you; if you arrive by a morning train, they will be waiting for you at the railway station’s exit.

Let’s head to Datong’s postcard after a warm greeting, Yungang Grottoes, which boasts over 59,000 Buddha statues and 1,100 niches, taking more than 60 years to create. The craftsmen first smoothed the mountain’s face before excavating the caves from the summit downwards. Windows were carved in the upper levels to remove stones, while lower cave stones were extracted through archway doors, followed by outlining Buddha figures from the remaining stone and adding details. Caves No.5 and No.6 are considered the pinnacle of Yungang’s carving art, with a paired design that reflects the collaborative governance of an emperor and empress dowager in the late 5th century. 

Step into Cave No.5, where you’ll be awestruck by the Buddha statue that soars six stories high. Adorned with gold leaf in face, chest, and hands, it exudes an imposing presence, framed by flame-patterned halos touching the ceiling. Meanwhile, Cave No.6 stands out with more exquisite carvings, featuring 33 stone carving comics that narrate the life of Sakyamuni, from his birth to profound enlightenment, in the main chamber. To fully appreciate these series, start your exploration at the central pillar’s east cliff, circle clockwise around the pillar, and then extend your sight to the second layers of east, southern, and western walls. 

 Warm Reminder: The allure of Caves No.5 and No.6 draws many visitors, especially from April to October, during which wait times can stretch up to three hours or even longer. If you’re so in them, queuing is necessary; thanks for your understanding. But rest assured, your guide will also accompany you to discover the charms of other caves, like the rough beauty of Caves No.16-20, a cultural exchange ‘concert’ in Cave No.12, and the rare blend of Hindu and Buddhist art in the paired Caves No.7 and No.8.After lunch, we’ll drive about 2 hours to the iconic Hanging Temple, an aerial pavilion perched dramatically on vertical cliffs, where Confucianism, Taoism, and Buddhism have coexisted for about 1,500 years. The brilliant wooden mortise and tenon structures mainly contribute to the temple’s resilience: beams that are embedded deeply into the rock to support the main structure, wooden pillars below act as auxiliary buffers to withstand external forces, and a flexible framework is designed to absorb kinetic energy against potential earthquakes. The temple’s strategic location within the cliff’s recess also prolonged its existence - the rocks above provide natural protection from falling stones, weather erosion, and direct sun exposure.

At first glance, you may think that it consists of just a few halls, but a closer look reveals a network of 40 structures, including meditation rooms, drum towers, and bell towers, linked by a looped one-way wooden plank road. Accompanied by your guide, enjoy a surreal and exhilarating ascending experience while viewing the surrounding secluded valley and rushing water under your feet. But prepared for the extremely narrow steps, which are less than half the width of size 9.5-inch (43-centimeter) shoes. You even need to use both hands and feet to pass through some sections! Please wear anti-slip shoes and grip the handrails securely during your visit.

 Important Tips: To protect the temple’s structure and enhance the visitor experience, the scenic area allows a maximum of 100 people to enter at a time, so queuing is essential. During the off-season (December-March), the wait time is about 30 minutes. In peak months such as July, August, and the first week of October, queues can start at 2 hours, while in other months, you should expect to wait at least 1 hour. Moreover, visitors with acrophobia or those over 60 years old are advised not to ascend the temple. They can still enjoy the full, breathtaking view of the temple from below the cliff.

Your Datong day trip will conclude, and your guide and the driver will escort you to your hotel in Datong or the railway station for departure. If you want to explore more of Datong Ancient City or extend your trip to the nearby Pingyao Ancient City, please feel free to contact our travel consultants to customize your itinerary!

Meal: Lunch