The essential Luoyang culture loop — Buddhist cave art in the morning, royal treasures after lunch, and China’s first Buddhist monastery to finish
Eleven hours, three sites, and the coach keeps to a schedule: Longmen first while the river side is still cool and quiet, the Han–Wei museum over the middle of the day, White Horse Temple at the end.
If the grottoes are the only thing you care about, book the half-day instead — this route spends four hours on the other two sites.
Longmen is not a single cave. The carvings run along two cliffs on opposite banks, and the best of them (Fengxian Temple) is a fifteen-minute walk from the gate.
Free pick-up at downtown hotels and Luoyang Longmen Railway Station
Local time (GMT+8). The guide may reorder stops to match same-day traffic and opening hours.
Mudan Square (Jianxi District) and Chanhe First People’s Hospital
7 Days Inn stop
The easiest option if you arrive by high-speed rail
Your guide handles group ticketing on arrival
A guided walk through the West Hill — Fengxian Temple and the 17 m Vairocana Buddha, the Binyang caves — then free time along the Yi River to the East Hill caves and Xiangshan Temple
Around ¥20–40 near the scenic area
Built over the Han and Wei dynasty city site itself — finds from the Eastern Han imperial academy and the Northern Wei palace, plus a scale model of the old capital. Skipped without refund if it closes or hits capacity
China’s first Buddhist monastery, including the international garden with its Indian, Myanmar and Thai halls
Optional drop-off at Lijingmen Gate, Cross Street or Luoyi Ancient City
The tour starts and ends in Luoyang. Most travellers arrive at Luoyang Longmen Railway Station — the pick-up loop is a short taxi or metro ride from the exits, and the tour returns you in time for an evening train. If you are coming from another city, check the direct high-speed trains and their first and last departures.
Best for first-time visitors, families with children or elderly parents, and anyone who would rather not juggle tickets and buses.
$65 per person on the group tour, or from $256 per vehicle for a private car with driver and guide. The group price includes the driver, guide and admission; the private price is for the whole vehicle, whatever the party size.
It runs 06:40 to 18:00 — about 11.3 hours from pick-up to drop-off, including the drive. If you are catching a train or flight the same evening, book it for after 19:30.
Luoyang Longmen Station & downtown hotels. Your driver and guide meet you there; the exact spot is confirmed the day before travel.
Longmen Grottoes admission (full-price adult tier); White Horse Temple admission; Round-trip air-conditioned coach, one seat each.
Lunch (own expense, around ¥20–40); Han–Wei Museum entry — free, but you book the slot yourself on the museum’s official mini-program.
Two days. We do not accept same-day or next-day bookings because the car, guide and admission have to be arranged in advance. Cancellation is free up to 7 days before the tour; inside that it steps to 20% (6–3 days) and 60% (2–1 days), and nothing is refunded on the day itself.
A treasure house of ancient Chinese stone carving. Each Buddha figure carries a thousand years of faith and skill; the carving and the layers of meaning are remarkable, and the caves still look vivid. You can see the artisans’ craft in every detail.
龙门石窟是中国古代石刻艺术的宝库，每一尊佛像都承载着千年的信仰以及智慧，其精湛的雕刻技艺和丰富的文化内涵令人叹为观止，洞窟中的佛像栩栩如生，展现了古代工匠的智慧和匠心。
The high point of Chinese stone carving. You can tell the styles of different periods apart at a glance, and the site mixes imperial caves with ones carved for ordinary people — the gap in finish between them shows exactly what money could buy.
中国石刻艺术的最巅峰之作。不同时期的风格塑像很容易就能去分出来。也是皇家石窟和百姓石窟混杂在一起的石窟精品。可以看到不同的经济基础支撑下塑造的精细程度不一的石窟造像。
