5-Day Private Tour to Datong,Pingyao and Xi'an by Bullet Train

Day 1: Datong. O/N Datong.

1. Datong
   10m
   In the morning, your guide will meet you at Datong hotel/train station at 9am and drive one hour to Hanging Monastery.
2. Hengshan Hanging Temple (Xuankong si)
   1h 30m · Admission ticket included
   The renowned Hanging Monastery, which looks like a grand relief inlaid on the steep cliff. It will be a thrilling experience to go along the hanging walkways to visit each hall of the temple. It is unique that the hierarchs of Buddhism, Taoism and Confucianism are worshiped here together.
3. Yungang Grottoes
   2h · Admission ticket included
   Upon arrival at the Yungang Grottoes, your guide will accompany you as you to go around viewing more than 59,000 solemn Buddha statues made during the Northern Wei Dynasty (386 - 534). Considered to be a treasure house of Buddhist arts, Yungang Grottoes took over 70 years to reach the present scale. The sculptures there integrate the superb artistry of Northern Wei and showcase the atmospheric and imperial style. You are sure to feel astonished by the magnificent scene there.
4. Datong
   17h
   After the lunch, your guide will escort you to your Datong hotel.

Day 2: Datong - Pingyao by train. O/N Pingyao.

1. 1h
   In the morning around 7:00am, drive you to Datong Railway Station where a train to Pingyao is waiting for you. The train takes around 3.5 hours. Upon arrival at Pingyao, you will be picked up on time and transferred to the Pingyao hotel.
2. Wang's Family Compound (Wang Jia Dayuan)
   2h · Admission ticket included
   Before checking in the hotel, you first will visit the Wang's family compound which is a large and magnificent architectural complex originally built around 250 years ago and Located in Lingshi County in Shanxi Province, the Wang Family's Compound is 35 kilometers (22 miles) away from Pingyao Ancient City. This luxurious residence was originally built during 1762-1811 by the descendants of the Wang Family. What makes this compound so impressive are the sheer size and gorgeous ornamental structures. It is like a mini walled city with more than 200 courtyards, each of them has its own distinctive features. The intricately carved wood doors, window casings, stairways, stone carvings, etc. could be found everywhere in the courtyards.
3. Zhangbi Ancient Castle
   2h · Admission ticket included
   After lunch, the tour continues to Zhangbi Ancient Fortress where you will go through the maze-like underground tunnels.
   
   Different from the compounds and ancient city, Zhangbi Ancient Fortress is an exception of Shanxi merchants' culture. To resist the invasion of enemies, Chinese ancestors made full use of its geographic advantages and built a 10,000-meter long underground military tunnels with three floors in the village. Zhangbi Ancient Fortress is a complex of historical relics, tombs, residences and tunnels, in which the labyrinth-like underground tunnels are the most interesting.
4. Pingyao County
   17h
   At the end, drive you back to your hotel and helping you check in then is free time for you.

Day 3: Pingyao - Xi'an by train. O/N Xi'an.

1. Ancient City of Pingyao
   6h
   Today, you will going to visit the Ancient City of Pingyao and during the later afternoon take a train to Xi'an.
   
   As one of the four best preserved old cities in China, the 2,700-year-old Ancient City of Pingyao is famous for containing the most complete dwellings complex and shops with architectural style of Ming and Qing Dynasties (1368 – 1911), which are arranged at both sides of the 400-meter-long Ancient Ming-Qing Street. Situated in the center of the city, Ancient Government Office is built with a symmetrical layout. In Security Guard Company, you will know the history about the security industry through the cases, vehicles and weapons used at that time. From our guide's explanation, you will know the cultural background of Rishengchang Exchange Shop, the first private financial institution in China.
2. City Wall of Pingyao
   1h · Admission ticket included
   Your Pingyao ancient town tour will begin with a visit to the City Wall of Pingyao, which has been well preserved. As a whole, the rectangular wall resembles a tortoise, which was considered as a symbol of longevity traditionally. Ascending the wall, you could overlook the ancient city of Pingyao.
3. Ming and Qing Dynasties Street
   1h
   Then, get down from the wall and have a stroll on the traditional Ming-Qing Street. On both sides of this not very wide street, there are many buildings in ancient Chinese architecture style, which used to be firms, exchange shops and different kinds of shops like teashop, cloth shop and salt shop. Nowadays, some of them have been turned to hotels, restaurants or shops selling souvenirs while some have been preserved as attraction sites and museums.
4. Pingyao Ancient Government Office
   1h · Admission ticket included
   Next, pay a visit to Pingyao Ancient Government Office, which is located in the middle of the ancient city for more than 600 years. Covering about 26,000 square meters (31,095 square yards), it includes many majestic courtyards and buildings. The Security Guard Company is also worth seeing for it is a museum which introduces the development of the ancient Chinese security guards.
5. Rishengchang Former Bank
   1h · Admission ticket included
   After lunch, you will proceed to Ri Sheng Chang Exchange Shop and Tong Xing Gong. Ri Sheng Chang Exchange Shop is the first money exchange shop in China as well as the founder of Chinese modern banks, which has played an important role in Chinese financial business for about one century. Tong Xing Gong was an establishment which provided private escort service for the exchange shops to guard their safety during transportation.
6. 1h
   At the end, drive you to Pingyao Railway Station where a train to Xi'an is waiting for you. The train takes around 3 hours. Upon arrival at Datong, you will be picked up on time and transferred to the Xi'an hotel(driver only,no guide).

Day 4: Xi'an. O/N Xi'an.

1. Xi'an
   10m
   In the morning,your tour guide can meet you at your Xi'an hotel lobby at 9:00am then transfer to Terracotta Warriors Museum, need 80 minutes driving,45km.
2. The Museum of Qin Terra-cotta Warriors and Horses
   2h · Admission ticket included
   Visiting the Terracotta Warriors and Horses is a highlight of any Xi'an tour, and gives you the chance to see more than 8,000 life-size Qin Dynasty-era model soldiers. Discovered in 1974, the warriors are located to the east of Emperor Qin Shihuang's Tomb, where the man who first unified China is buried.
   Among the three pits, No. 1 pit is the largest, containing more than 6,000 clay warriors and horses in 11 three-meter deep corridors. Since their discovery, the warriors have captured the world’s imagination as they have traveled the globe, from England to America to Chile.
   The warriors and horses are now back in China, displayed in an oblong battle formation of the Qin Dynasty. Facing east, they look healthy and determined, with different facial expressions that all reflect Emperor Qingshihuang's determination to wipe out the other 6 states and unify the entire country.
3. Small Goose Pagoda
   40m
   Next, you will transfer to Small Wild Goose Pagoda which is located inside Jianfu Temple, about one kilometer south of Xi'an city proper. It is one of the two famous and important Buddhist pagodas erected in the Tang Dynasty about 1300 years ago. Small Wild Goose Pagoda and its large neighbor, Big Wild Goose Pagoda, are two important Buddhist sites, dating back to the Tang Dynasty, 1300 years ago.
   
   The two pagodas were a symbol of Chang'an (Constant Peace) city. Xi'an (West Peace) was called Chang'an until the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644), when Beijing became the capital of China. Chang'an had served as the capital for ten dynasties.
4. Xi'an City Wall
   1h · Admission ticket included
   After the lunch, you will transfer to city wall. You can walking or cycling around the wall, the bike fees you pay locally if you do that.
   The first landmark visitors will encounter in Xian is the ancient City Wall, which stretches round the old city. It is also one of the most famous attractions in Xian. Today, this wall represents one of the oldest and best preserved Chinese city walls, as well being one of the largest ancient military defensive systems in the world.
5. Muslim Quarter
   1h
   Your last stop will be the Muslim Bazaar, the most thriving area of the city. If you are interested, you can explore the bazaar at your own pace and then return to the hotel by yourself. Your guide will give you directions for returning to your hotel. The Great Mosque and the Bell and Drum Tower Square are within walking distance of the Bazaar. There are many boutique stores at fair prices in Bazaar and also a number of excellent choices of food for dinner.

Day 5: Xi'an. The tour end.

1. Xi'an
   10m
   In the morning, your tour guide will meet you at your Xi'an hotel lobby at 8:30am then transfer to Hanyanglin, need 30 minutes driving,15km.
2. Tomb of Emperor Jingdi (Hanyangling)
   2h · Admission ticket included
   You first drive for one hour to visit the Hanyangling Mausoleum, which is on the site of the Mausoleum of Western Han Emperor Liu Qi built in 153 AD. In the company of the guide, you will have a close look at the thousand-year-old tombs through the glass floors and the glass walls in the tomb pits. Besides, the advanced Spectra Vision program will reproduce the real life of the Western Han Dynasty about 2,000 years ago. We will ensure you two hours exploring the site.
3. Xi'an Mosque
   40m · Admission ticket included
   Then, you will drive to the Great Mosque in the core area of Xi'an City. which was first built in 742AD during the Tang Dynasty. It is one of the oldest, largest and most well-preserved Islamic mosques in China.The mosque's location at the Muslim Quarter is very convenient, with many souvenir stores and local food restaurants. You can have your lunch here with the guide's suggestions.
4. Shaanxi History Museum
   2h
   After lunch, you continue Xi'an tour to explore Shaanxi History Museum. Unique historical and culture heritage of Shaanxi is undoubted worth the praise as treasure house of Chinese civilization, and Shaanxi History Museum is definitely a palace of art to display Shaanxi's history and culture and China's ancient civilization. There are as many as some 370,000 antiquities collected, ranging from prehistorical relics to that of the 1840s. Time spans more than one million years and the collection is superior in value, quantity, rank and species. Your guide will provide professional full explanations.
5. Giant Wild Goose Pagoda
   30m
   Instead of entering the temple to visit the Giant Wild Goose Pagoda, you will have a photo stop here for half an hour. With suggestions from our former guests, it is enough to see the pagoda and the statue of Monk Xuanzang at the south square outside the temple. As a well-preserved ancient building and a holy place for Buddhists, the pagoda built during the Tang Dynasty was once the site for Xuanzang to translate the Buddhist sutras.
6. Xi'an
   10m
   Finally, your guide will escort you to your hotel. End of your services.

Pickup details

We can pick up any hotels in Datong or Datongl train station at day one

• Specialized infant seats are available
• Not recommended for travelers with spinal injuries
• Not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health
• Not recommended for pregnant travelers
• Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
• Suitable for all physical fitness levels
• Wheelchair accessible