This route is for travelers who want historical depth rather than a greatest-hits dash between Beijing and Shanghai. It connects imperial capitals with three major Buddhist cave and temple landscapes.
Route overview
Who this route suits
Choose it for architecture, archaeology, Buddhist art, and long historical sequences. It includes many large sites and museum-style visits. Families with young children may prefer the simpler Beijing, Xi’an, Shanghai route.
Day-by-day plan
Days 1 to 4: Beijing
Use the first two days for the central axis, the Forbidden City, Jingshan, the Temple of Heaven, and the hutongs. Give the Great Wall its own day. Use the fourth for the Summer Palace, the Lama Temple, or the Old Summer Palace.
Do not compress the Forbidden City and a distant Great Wall section into one day. Reservations, security checks, and Beijing’s scale make that plan unnecessarily fragile.
Days 5 to 6: Datong
Take the fast train from Beijing. Spend the first day at the Yungang Grottoes, then walk the old city, Huayan Temple, Shanhua Temple, and the city wall. On the second, visit the Hanging Temple and Mount Heng, with Yingxian Wooden Pagoda if the road plan allows.
Much of Datong’s old-city streetscape is reconstructed, but Huayan Temple, Shanhua Temple, the Nine Dragon Wall, and other historic remains give the city genuine substance.
Days 7 to 8: Luoyang
The Datong to Luoyang leg is the least direct part of this route and may require a transfer. Do not plan a major attraction immediately after arrival.
Give Longmen Grottoes most of one day, then continue to Guanlin or Luoyi Old Town. Use the next day for White Horse Temple and the Sui-Tang palace sites, or replace one with Luoyang Museum.
Days 9 to 12: Xi’an
Continue west by high-speed rail. Spend one day on the city wall, Bell and Drum Towers, Great Mosque, and the lanes around the Muslim Quarter. Give the Terracotta Army and Lishan Garden a full day. Use another day for the Shaanxi History Museum, Big Wild Goose Pagoda, and the Tang cultural district.
Keep the final day for Mount Hua, another museum, or a slower food day. Mount Hua should be removed first when weather or energy is uncertain.
Why the order works
The route moves broadly southwest and ends in Xi’an, which has a major airport and strong onward rail links. Beijing introduces the imperial center; Datong and Luoyang deepen the Buddhist and architectural story; Xi’an brings the sequence back to the Qin and Tang capitals.
Shorter versions
- 9 days: Beijing, Datong, and Xi’an. Fly or use the most practical rail connection between Datong and Xi’an.
- 10 days: Keep Luoyang but remove one Beijing day and the Mount Hua option.
- Architecture-first: Add another Datong day and reduce modern Beijing neighborhoods.