4-Day Datong and Pingyao Tour
Explore the Buddhism relics - Yungang Grottoes in Datong, combine with the Pingyao Ancient Town and Wang's Family Compound.
Tour Highlights
- Step onto the Hanging Temple, and enjoy the thrilling but safe experience
- Visit one of the biggest Buddhism Grottoes in China, the Yungang Grottoes
- Ramble in Pingyao Ancient Town. Measure the history with your eyes, and see the daylight fade until the lanterns light up
- Explore the "Forbidden City for Common Folk" - the Wang Family Compound. Trace back life to the Ming and Qing dynasties (1338–1911), and see how a rich family lived




98.8% positive customer reviews among 10,000+
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Great tours!
I had an amazing two trips on the Great Wall and the Forbidden City with the guide Ivy during my stay in China. She was very helpful and answered all of our questions with an enthusiastic approach. I have nothing to say but to highly recommend the trips they offer on the Great Wall hiking/camping and also the in-depth Forbidden City tour! Thank you Ivy and China Highlights. more
May 2023,
Serhat Altay
![]() |
Amazing First Time to Beijing with China Highlights
Tom, my private tour guide was there when I landed and accompanied me all the way through to sending me off at the airport after check-in at the end of my trip. Zhao the driver, who also did all the driving during my trip, was calm, confident and knowledgeable in taking us around. Both Tom and Zhao were punctual too. The Great Wall of China Hike I wanted to do started in a very remote, unrestored part of the wall. This would not had been possible without Tom problem solving many issues we had on the way up and I could not have done this on my own a a foreigner. It was well worth the effort and probably the highlight of my trip.The remainder of the tour around Tiananmen Square, Forbidden Kingdom and The Temple of Heaven was paired with a detailed commentary by Tom of which I learnt a lot. more
May 2023,
Munsie
![]() |
Beijing - city of surprises
A fantastic guide was waiting for us - Jack, who told all the stories with passion and commitment. He also fulfilled those wishes that were not in the plan. I highly recommend visiting Beijing with this guide. more
May 2023,
Joanna i Piotr Kuzebscy
![]() |
Liu Yuan was a superb guide and a lot…
Liu Yuan was a superb guide and a lot of fun to spend time with during my first visit to Beijing. It was a wonderful intensive three days. more
May 2023,
Pam S.
![]() |
Great weather and a good trip out with Lily!
Many thanks to my guide Lily for customising the trip to make it as efficient and enjoyable as possible. She arranged to start an hour earlier to beat the crowd and I got to enjoy the Great Wall before the crowd streamed in and while the weather was cool. I requested to switch the next attraction to visit from Temple of Heaven to Ming Tomb and she not only accommodated the prompt request, but made all the necessary arrangements even before the trip coordinator managed to reply! Kudos! Our driver was jovial and friendly, always on top of traffic conditions and took detours to beat slow moving traffic. Hassle free day and I wouldn’t have been able to cover the two attractions so easily and comfortably without them! more
May 2023,
Meibao
![]() |
This was our first time traveling to Beijing
This was our first time traveling to China, so we really wanted to experience some of the major historical sights of Beijing together with a tour guide. Our itinerary was very carefully planned out according to our interests and tailored to our needs. First, we went camping on the Great Wall and hiked from Jiankou to Mutianyu, and the next day we got an in-depth tour of the Forbidden City as well as a tour of the Temple of Heaven and a taiji experience in the gardens. Our tour guide, Ivy, was truly wonderful in preparing and organizing our personalized itinerary. She is very friendly and knowledgeable, and she was always able and willing to answer all of our questions. Ivy provided us with a truly amazing first visit to China and I would warmly recommend China Highlights for everyone who wishes to travel to China and I would especially recommend Ivy as a tour guide for your trips! more
May 2023,
Annalina Wheeler
![]() |
Tom is the BEST tour guide EVER!
Just had the most AMAZING tour with Tom. He was beyond knowledgeable, so generous with his time and made me feel so at ease which was super important as I am travelling by myself. Thank you Tom for the best day-you have totally made my China trip a fabulous experience, one I will never forget! more
May 2023,
SHARRYN HINCHLIFFFE
![]() |
Superb service and wonderful time in Beijing
Superb service from Jack who were with us for 4 wonderful days in Beijing. Jack was clearly knowledgeable about the history and able to deliver insight information to us about places. He was also kind and accommodating to my mother who has bad knees. Both China Highlights and Jack were flexible about the itinerary to ensure that we enjoy the best of Beijing. We'll definitely use China Highlights' services again for our next trip to China. more
May 2023,
Chani
![]() |
Amazing Trip
First time booking a trip with China Highlights and was fortunate to have Sunny as my private tour guide. We went to the Jinshanling section of the Great Wall, then arrived and walked around Gubei Water Town, and then visited the Simatai portion of the Great Wall at night. Was a very enjoyable trip as we were able to see a night time drone show in the sky, ride a private boat through the canals of the Gubei Water Town, and eat a delicious lunch at a local restaurant along the way. Sunny is super knowledgeable when it comes to the history of the Great Wall and took the time to explain various interesting facts and stories which made the trip very meaningful. The driver we had was also a very nice man who was always on time and eager to help. Was an unforgettable experience and would highly recommend Sunny and China Highlights :) more
May 2023,
Allen C
![]() |
Tour to the great wall from the airport
My guide Tom was ver kind and knowlegable, he explained everything to me about the great wall and even went out of his way to help me the next day at Bejings downtown! amazing service!!! thank you so much Tom! more
May 2023,
Fer Villasefior
![]() |
Great tour, fantastic guide!
This tour was fantastic! I loved hearing about the history of the Forbidden City and admiring the views at the Great Wall. William was a fantastic tour guide. We were a group of families with several young children, and he was very accommodating and flexible with timing and arrangements. I totally recommend this tour and William as a guide! more
May 2023,
Ryan Corless
![]() |
Four excellent sightseeing days in Beijing
We had wonderful four days in Beijing. The entire trip was tailored exactly to our wishes. From experiencing local food, to exploring the major sites of the city up to hiking the great wall of China. Additionally, we had two amazing guides Ina and Fan taking care of all the tickets and coordination required. Also, they could not only tell us everything about the sights we visited and give us an insight to local customs and traditions, but they did so in perfect German. The chauffeur service from Mr Chang was also excellent, getting us from A to B without any hazzle. The past couple of days were one of the most carefree trips we have had so far. more
May 2023,
Katha
![]() |
Great tour from William
Great tour organized by China highlights, our tour guide was William - his knowledge was impressive, his English was great and he was always on time. We did the four day tour including the wall and forbidden city - would definitely recommend to anyone looking for an English tour guide. more
Apr 2023,
Lawrence
![]() |
Beijing 2 day private tour
The tour itself was great, private driver to and from, my guide Ivy was great English speaking guide. She was very knowledgeable and passionate about her country. Was a great time exploring the Great Wall of china and then my second day did a city tour (forbidden city, hutong tour, summer palace). Felt extremely safe, and was confident having an English guide. Thank you china highlights. (Provide them what you want and they’ll make it happen). Prices are reasonable as I looked at a few places but for private tour, my own schedule, and confidence of getting around safely you can’t go wrong. more
Apr 2023,
Mark
![]() |
Very enjoyable
Everything was to the vest standard, the history all very well explained by the Tour Guide in Beijing, Ivy. Really enjoyed it, and appreciated the time. more
Apr 2023,
Jonathan
![]() |
Amazing Beijing Experience
I had an amazing time in Beijing and glad Tom was my tour guide. He went above and beyond and I’m truly grateful. Tom did all that he could to ensure my stay in Beijing for two days was pleasant and thanks to him, I say that it was. The driver was also nice and courteous, I called him Jon. The company is blessed to have a good tour guide like Tom on their team so if you are planning to come down to Beijing, make sure you ask for Tom. Thank you Christy and Kimmy for replying all my emails with questions that I had. more
Apr 2023,
Pedro V
![]() |
Great experience
We had a great experience with China Highlights and Roger was highly efficient and helpful planning our itinerary exactly how we needed. more
Apr 2023,
Brenda Sarmanho
![]() |
Excellent service and tour guide!!
Excellent service and communication from the travel agent Roger Li and amazing tour and experience of Great Wall of China from our tour guide Amber. Highly recommended! more
Apr 2023,
Evangelos Athanasopoulos
![]() |
Maggie was such a tremendous help for…
Maggie was such a tremendous help for our recent Beijing trip. Very prompt and helpful in helping us plan and adjust/amend to our requests. more
Apr 2023,
Hi
![]() |
HK-Beijing-Wuhan-Guilin-HK
We travelled first to Beijing for a few days before moving on to Wuhan for the wedding and then for a few days in Guilin along with my son and daughter in law. It was a great trip and all went smothly with the help of the guides we had along the way. William in Beijing and Jenny in Guilin were excellent. Chas in HK was also very helpful in getting us to the right place and the right time to fly home. more
Apr 2023,
Alan Harris
![]() |
Suggested Itinerary
Your private guide will be holding a sign with your name, and waiting for you at the exit of the train station / airport. A comfortable private car (non-smoking), and experienced driver will be ready. You will explore the main attractions in Datong city.
The Datong Nine-Dragon Screen Wall is the oldest and largest glazed screen in China. A screen wall is a traditional Chinese architectural feature, used for block the view from the front gate.
Huayan Temple is not far from the Nine-Dragon Screen Wall. It has the world's second largest wooden pagoda. Under the pagoda there is an underground Thousand Buddha Palace, which is made of pure copper. It is all copper from the ceiling to the floor.
Lunch will be arranged in a local social restaurant, and your tour guide will assist you to make the order, so you can taste the most authentic local food.
In the afternoon you will visit one of the biggest Buddhist grottoes in China - the Yungang Grottoes . We will arrange a battery cart at the attraction, so you can avoid the long walk between grottoes and have more time to see the statues.
After the day trip, have a good rest in your hotel, and prepare for the adventures of the next day. Your guide will be happy to recommend some local restaurants near you hotel for your dinner.
Accommodation
Garden International Hotel (4-star)/ Shanxi World Trade Hotel (5-star)

It takes about 5½ hours by car from Datong to Pingyao, but don't worry: you won't feel boring on the way! After breakfast in your hotel, drive 1½ hours to the Hanging Temple.
True to its name, the Hanging Temple is hanging on a cliff. Ancient people built this temple to store food and water for people who passed by, and accepted three major Chinese religions, so that travelers of those religions could stay there.
Why built so high? It followed a requirement of Taoism: "Do not hear the rooster crow and dog bark." It meant the temple had to be built in a quiet place, far from noisy living.
Lunch will be arranged near the Hanging Temple, and then you will head to the Yingxian Wooden Pagoda. As a UNESCO site, the Yingxian Wooden Pagoda is the oldest and tallest surviving wooden structure in China.
After the pagoda travel by highway directly to Pingyao, and check in at your hotel in Pingyao Ancient Town.
Accommodation
Hongshanyi Inn (4-star)/ Yunjincheng Folk Hotel (5-star)
Most hotels and hostels in the ancient town are in traditional Chinese style, you will see antique courtyard and wooden furniture, and even have a chance to experience sleeping on a "kang"-- heatable brick bed that popular in North China. Extra quilt can be required to soften the bed.

Wake up in your traditional-Chinese-style room. It's better to start the day with the Ancient City Wall. If you are a photographer, sunrise at the Ancient City Wall is a great chance to grasp the charm of the ancient town.
The core history of Pingyao Ancient Town is the history of Chinese banking system. Rishengchang Former Bank was the first draft bank in China. There you will learn how the banking system was born, and how it developed until the first bank was defunct.
Lunch will be arranged in a local restaurant.
To protect the tangible currency, armed Escort Companies came into being. The Armed Escort Company Museum shows how this special business was formed and how it was run, and also introduces the top 10 escort companies and top 10 guards - they were all kung fu masters.
Mingqing Street area, which is the most prosperous area in the ancient town. The lanterns are all on at night, and it is very lively there in the evening.
Accommodation
Hongshanyi Inn (4-star)/ Yunjincheng Folk Hotel (5-star)

After breakfast in your hotel, your guide will be waiting for you in the lobby on time. You will explore the rich culture outside of the ancient city wall.
Driving for 10 minutes, you will visit the Shuanglin Temple first. The Shuanglin Temple is considered to be the "unrestored glory" of Pingyao, and it has over 2,000 colored mud sculptures preserved under its humble-looking roofs. Every sculpture has its own face and expression, and each of them is a rare treasure.
Then you will drive in a southerly direction for one hour to the Wang Family Courtyard. Lunch will be arranged in a local restaurant on the way - your tour guide will assist you with reading the menu and ordering the dishes, and you will taste the most authentic local food.
Lunch will be arranged in a local restaurant.
The Wang Family Compound is about 1½ hours from the ancient town. It is the former residence of the Wang family - a reputable official's family that lived there for over 300 years. Its total area is about 25 ha. (62 ac.), with 123 courtyards and 1,118 rooms. The structure of the compound embodied the different status of men and women, masters and servants.
After your trip, your guide and driver will drive you to the train station and say goodbye.

Trip Notes
1. Pingyao Vicinity Map

2. Hanging Temple Tips:
Comfortable shoes and a light backpack are suggested, as for all excursions.
The stairs to the Hanging Temple are narrow, only allowing one person to pass, and the rail is short, so be careful. It is 60 to 90 meters above the ground, so people who fear heights should consider this before going up.
Continuing heavy rain might cause rock falls, so for safety the temple will be closed in bad weather.
The viewing platform that under the mountain and opposite the river is a great place to have a full view of the Hanging Temple. People can take pictures from the square if they don't plan to go up, or when the temple was closed due to bad weather.
Note: Due to the continuing rain and large area rock falls, tourists are not allowed to climb the mountain and go into the Hanging Temple since 13th Oct. 2015. People can still have a full view of the Hanging Temple at the viewing platform that under the mountain and opposite the river. We will continue to watch the situation and update the information.
3. Photography
If you are a photographer, taking a shot of the sunrise at the ancient city wall is a great opportunity to grasp the charm of the ancient town. The sun rises at around 6am. As the morning fog fades away, people start to come out and prepare for the new day. If you want to wait for the right moment, it is suggested that you take a photo first, and then go back to your hotel and have breakfast.
Another good time to take photos on the ancient city wall is at 4pm, because the sunlight slants on the tall wall and you can capture a sense of the historical vicissitudes. Many great photos have come from this moment.
Aerial photography with a drone is currently allowed in Datong and Pingyao, and it is a good way to have a bird's-eye view of the ancient town. Our package tour provides the most flexibility for you to stop and fly a drone, and your private tour guide will help you to avoid the curious crowds. Be aware of electric wires and inconspicuous trees in the ancient town when flying a drone.
4. Easy Trip Planning
Our 1 to 1 private travel advisors will give you professional suggestions, you can alter the itinerary, extend or shorten it to suit your price, interest and schedule. Feel free to tell us your requirements, and we are happy to help you arrange with our professional knowledge and experience.
5. Payment Methods
We now offer 3 payment methods: PayPal, credit card authorization via fax and wire transfer. PayPal is recommended for its safety and efficiency. You can pay USA dollars, Australian dollars, European dollars and Great Britain Pound directly with your credit card or debit card, even if you don't have PayPal account.
Tour Price
Price includes:
Start planning your tailor-made tour now. Your 1:1 travel consultant will reply within 1 working day.