Ancient Buildings of Northern Jin 4 Days · Taiyuan Wutai Mountain Pingyao
Taiyuan / Wutai Mountain / Pingyao · 4 Days 3 Nights · Moderate
Reference Price
$580Rise / Person
- Purely for fun, no shopping
- The itinerary can be slightly adjusted
- Includes ticket reservation service
Prices vary between peak and off-peak seasons; the following order confirmation shall prevail · Tickets for highlands and peak seasons need to be booked in advance
Itinerary Details
All routes are for reference only, the actual route is subject to the explanation of customer service
The three core sites in Shanxi: the Provincial Museum, Tang Dynasty wooden structures, and the Ming and Qing county towns.
Day-by-day itinerary4 days in total · daily destination, meals, accommodation and transport
Expand day by day; click a title to collapse. Itinerary for reference and may be adjusted for weather and traffic.
- D1Arrived at Taiyuan · Shanxi Museum
DestinationLocally→ Taiyuan
- Meals
- Meals are self-managed
- Accommodation
- Taiyuan Hotel
- Transport
- Airport/Station Pickup and Drop-off
- Distance
- Within the city
Daily detailArrive in Taiyuan from various locations, with a dedicated airport or station pick-up to your hotel. Afternoon free time.
Half a day at the museum + half a day at Jinci Temple. On the second day, head north to Wutai Mountain.
Shanxi Museum: Bird Zun, Hou Ma Alliance Book, and Northern Dynasties Buddha statues. After seeing them, you'll have a much clearer view of the ancient architecture.
Meals: Knife-cut noodles, fried pork, cat ear.
Note: Shanxi Museum is closed on Mondays; Jinci is about 25 km from downtown Jinci, about 40 minutes by bus or taxi.
In the evening, take the high-speed rail or tour bus to Wutai Mountain, and stay overnight there. - D2Wutai Mountain · The East Main Hall of Foguang Temple and the Main Hall of Nanchan Temple
DestinationWutai Mountain → Pingyao
- Meals
- Breakfast: Hotel · Lunch: Local (included) · Dinner: Self-arranged
- Accommodation
- Wutai Mountain Hotel
- Transport
- High-speed rail / tour bus → Pingyao
- Distance
- Intercity Transfer
StopsDaily detailFoguang Temple East Main Hall: Built in 857 AD, seven bays and eight beams, single-eave hip roof, a textbook wooden structure from the Tang Dynasty.
Nanchan Temple Main Hall: The oldest existing wooden structure, dating back to 782 AD, small in scale but older.
Xiantong Temple and Tayuan Temple: The core temple cluster of Taihuai Township, with the Great White Pagoda as a landmark of Wutai Mountain.
Bodhisattva Peak and Dailuo Summit: Qing Dynasty royal lama temples and 'Small Morning Terrace'; from the summit, you can enjoy panoramic views of Taihuai.
Meals: Mushroom stewed chicken, oat noodles with kaolaolao, vegetarian meal.
Note: The top of the platform is at a high altitude with large temperature differences, so bring a jacket; Foguang Temple is outside the South Terrace and requires more than half a day to visit by special route.
In the evening, take the high-speed rail or tour bus to Pingyao and stay overnight. - D3Pingyao · The ancient city walls of Pingyao and the county office and the Rishengchang ticket office
DestinationPingyao city center
- Meals
- Breakfast: Hotel · Lunch: Local (included) · Dinner: Self-arranged
- Accommodation
- Pingyao Hotel
- Transport
- City bus Walking
- Distance
- Walking about 4-6 km within the city
Daily detailPingyao Ancient City Wall and County Office: You can walk around the city wall, and the county office holds daily performances.
Rishengchang Draft Bank: The founder of the Bank of China, where you can see the secret seals and account books from back then.
Meals: Pingyao beef, bowl trays, and kaolaolao.
Tip: Entry to the ancient city is free; the attraction ticket includes 22 locations; Choosing inns within the city for more atmosphere for accommodation. - D4Pingyao · Shuanglin Temple and the return journey
DestinationPingyao → Airport/Station drop-off
- Meals
- Breakfast: Hotel · Lunch: Local (included) · Dinner: Self-arranged
- Accommodation
- Not included
- Transport
- Private vehicle for transfer to airport/station
- Distance
- Walking about 4-6 km within the city
Daily detailShuanglin Temple: 6 km southwest of the ancient city, with over 2,000 Ming dynasty painted sculptures and stunning Wei Tuo statues.
Zhenguo Temple: A wooden Hall of Ten Thousand Buddhas from the Five Dynasties, listed alongside Shuanglin Temple as one of Pingyao's 'one city, two temples.'
Meals: Pingyao beef, bowl trays, and kaolaolao (rice cakes).
Note: Entry into the ancient city is free; the attraction pass includes 22 locations; Choosing inns within the city for better accommodation and atmosphere.
Dedicated shuttle service will be provided according to flight or train schedule, stopping at the airport/station, and the tour will end.
Route Overview
Main Route of Ancient Shanxi Merchants: Shanxi Museum and Jinci Temple, the East Hall of Foguang Temple on Mount Wutai and Nanchan Temple (Tang Dynasty wooden structures), Pingyao Ancient City and Shuanglin Temple, Hongtong Great Locust Tree and Guangsheng Temple. This is a Shanxi route for cultural and museum enthusiasts.
The entire journey takes 4 days, moving along "Taiyuan → Foguang Temple on Mount Wutai → Pingyao Ancient City → Hongtong Great Locust Tree": Taiyuan / Wutai / Pingyao. The pace is arranged as "one city, one segment", using high-speed rail between cities, with flights arranged for segments where travel time exceeds 5 hours.
Destinations on This Route
- Taiyuan: Half a day at the museum + half a day at Jinci Temple, then head north to Mount Wutai on the second day.
- Mount Wutai: One day exploring the Taihuai temple complex, one day specifically visiting Foguang Temple + Nanchan Temple (must be arranged).
- Pingyao: One day inside the city (city walls + county government office + banking hall), one day visiting Shuanglin Temple + Zhenguo Temple.
Associated Cultural Long Route
This route belongs to Ancient Shanxi Merchants & Northern China's Ancient Charm. Other itineraries with different durations on the same theme are also available for comparison.
Costs include
- Accommodation listed in the itinerary (double occupancy)
- First entrance tickets to the attractions specified in the itinerary
- Ground transportation listed in the itinerary (high-speed rail / tour bus / scenic area sightseeing bus)
- Full-time Chinese-speaking tour guide service
- Daily breakfast, and meals specified in the itinerary
- Travel agency liability insurance and travel accident insurance
Cost not included
- Round-trip international airfare between the departure location and China
- Personal visa and document fees
- Meals not listed and personal expenses
- Optional items (cable car, additional boat rides, performances, etc.)
- Tips for guides and drivers (voluntary)
- Single room surcharge