Day 1 All places → or → Taiyuan ★ All day gathering day
All day
Tourists will check in at designated hotels after 2:00 PM. Please report your "China-Travel Note + Name" at the front desk. You will then be free to move around. Please keep your belongings safe and take care of yourself.
Recommended attractions
Museums: Shanxi Museum, Bronze Museum, Shanxi Merchants Museum, China Coal Museum, etc. (Please make reservations in advance through the official WeChat accounts of each museum)
Other attractions in the city: Shuangta Temple Park, Chunyang Palace, Governor's Mansion, Donghu Vinegar Garden
Surrounding areas: Jin Temple, Tianlongshan Grottoes, Taiyuan Ancient County (where the New Year atmosphere is absolutely stunning), Mengshan Giant Buddha (it is recommended to take a taxi directly to the surrounding attractions for easier access)
Food recommendations
Taiyuan Liuxiang Bell Tower Street, Old Taiyuan Restaurant, Shanxi Restaurant, Yangji Sausage on Food Street, Hao Ganggang Lamb Offal in Liuxiang, Qingheyuan Restaurant, Laoshuku Yuanxiao, Bofan Old Tavern, Yixiang Pavilion, Qingheyuan's Head, Renyili (Halal cuisine), etc.
Traffic Tips
Taiyuan Wusu Airport and Taiyuan High-speed Railway Station/Railway Station are very close to Taiyuan city center. A taxi ride takes about half an hour and costs around 20-30 yuan. Pick-up service is not included. Please make your own way to the meeting hotel.
Day 2 Taiyuan → Qikou Ancient Town → Yellow River Gallery → Accommodation in Qikou
All day
Qikou Ancient Town
After breakfast, we departed Taiyuan for Qikou. Qikou Ancient Town, a hub on the Yellow River, was once the largest market town within the 700-kilometer cliffside of the Qin-Jin Grand Canyon, known as the "small metropolis of water and land ports." The town still retains its pristine Ming and Qing dynasty dwellings. Whether it's the quaint houses, the market stalls carrying shoulder poles, or the surging Yellow River, the atmosphere is sure to leave a deep impression.
【Yellow River Gallery】
We then headed to the Yellow River Gallery, where we took a boat trip on the river and admired the water-eroded reliefs dating back to the Triassic period. Over thousands of years, the Yellow River has carved a mysterious and inscrutable landscape. Facing these breathtaking rock faces, let your imagination run wild and experience the vicissitudes of nature.
[Special Experience for Tourists] Yellow River Rafting + Special Location for Photo Taking
【Sunset at Black Dragon Temple】
In the evening, you can go to the Black Dragon Temple to watch the sunset. Under the afterglow of the setting sun, imagine the life of the city a hundred years ago. You can have a delicious dinner with a few friends in the ancient town.
Tonight we will stay at the Qikou Inn. You can freely walk around the streets at night and experience the charm of Qikou Ancient Town.
Day 3: Qikou Ancient Town → Lijiashan Village → Wave Valley → Accommodation at Wave Valley
All day
【Lijiashan Village】
After breakfast, we'll head to Lijiashan Village, nestled deep in the mountains. It was discovered by the painter Wu Guanzhong during his field trip and became known to the world. While Lijiashan appears desolate from the outside, its interior reveals ancient, elegant cave dwellings, resembling a secluded paradise, a rare haven of tranquility. Join a local guide, dressed in traditional Shanxi clothing, as he sings a Shanxi folk song. Visit the homes of wealthy families, admire the jujube trees lining the cave entrances, and listen to their stories. Relax and unwind. Trust us, this is exactly what you imagine the Loess Plateau to be like. We'll also invite local villagers to share stories of the past and explore their cave dwellings.
Special Experience for Tourists: Listen to a Shanxi local sing a Shanxi folk song, take a photo with a local supermodel, and wear local costumes for a photoshoot
【Wave Valley】
The Wave Valley Scenic Area, located in Longzhou Town, Jingbian County, Yulin City, Shaanxi Province, features Danxia landforms primarily formed during the Cretaceous period, 96 million years ago. The area boasts the "Earth's Core Danxia" below the horizon, the "Flame Danxia" above, and the "Water Danxia" nestled against the lake. The diverse Danxia landscapes, including linear valleys, alley valleys, and red cliffs, are like the rings of time, the fingerprints of the earth, recording the imprints of eons of wind and frost washing over the sand dunes. In spring, admire peach blossoms and yellow willows against the Danxia; in summer, admire the cool breeze and clear water; in autumn, witness the morning mist curling through the yellow reeds; and in winter, admire the glaciers and snow reflecting the Danxia. The scenery offers a unique beauty each season, leaving you marveling at the wonders of nature, like walking on Mars! This area is perfect for drone photography, allowing you to capture the curves and lines of the landscape in detail. Try shooting from the side or backlight, as the contrast between light and dark creates a captivating and unique pattern, ensuring stunning photos!
Special Experience for Tourists: Experience the folk customs of Northern Shaanxi with the guidance of local ladies, including paper cutting and making flower-shaped steamed buns.
Stay at the Wave Valley Farmhouse Hotel at night and have a good sleep~
Day 4 Wave Valley → Yucha Grand Canyon → Stay in Yan'an
All day
[Ganquan Yucha Grand Canyon]
After breakfast, we'll depart for another wonder of the Loess Plateau, known as the "Chinese Antelope Canyon." We'll enter the scenic area during the peak of midday sunlight. The canyon is magnificent and breathtaking, its winding interior varying in width from a dozen meters wide at its widest point to barely wide enough for a single person to pass sideways. The traces of time are seamlessly carved into the cliffs, leaving one marvel at the wonders of nature and the marvels of creation. Huashugou is one of the most beautiful canyons, with sunlight slanting down from the top to the bottom, creating a breathtaking spectacle. Recently discovered by geologists, the Yucha Grand Canyon, remarkably similar to the Antelope Canyon in the United States, remains unexplored. We'll stroll through the canyon, taking in the sights as we admire and contemplate the landscape. This intimate encounter with nature will allow us to explore the mysteries of time.
After having fun, we drove to Yan'an. In the evening, you can go to Pagoda Hill to watch the light show, or go to the night market on Erdao Street to taste local delicacies.
Day 5 Yan'an → Yangjialing → Hukou Waterfall in Shanxi → Stay in Huozhou
All day
【Yangjialing】
After breakfast, we headed to Yangjialing in Yan'an. At the Yangjialing Revolutionary Site, we could see the Seven Great Halls of the Communist Party of China, the cave dwellings of former chairman Mao Zedong on the hill behind, and the vegetable plots they cultivated. We listened to the guide recount stories of the revolutionary revolution. It was also at Yangjialing that Chairman Mao met with American journalist Anna Louise Strong at a small stone table in front of his cave dwelling. In response to the then-prevalent "anti-Americanism," he famously asserted that "all reactionaries are paper tigers."
【Hukou Waterfall, Shanxi】
Hukou Waterfall separates Shaanxi and Shanxi provinces, and we'll enter from the Shanxi side. No matter how many times you've seen the Yellow River, you'll still be captivated by its spectacular spectacle! You can walk up to the lower platform to get up close and personal with the waterfall, feel the mist wash over you, sing along to the Yellow River Cantata, and feel the surge of emotion. Or, dress in local costume and take a photo with the Yellow River. The "Peach Blossom Flood" (April-May) and the "Hukou Autumn Wind" (September-November) are peak seasons. Here, the 300-400-meter-wide Yellow River suddenly narrows to 30-40 meters, creating a surging, surging wave. You'll experience the awe-inspiring sensation of the Yellow River's celestial waters. On a clear day, the mist will create a rainbow above the waterfall, a truly auspicious sight.
We will stay in Huozhou that night. You can visit and try Huozhou sesame cakes, noodles, pig blood sausage, bowl dumplings, Huozhou New Year steamed buns, fennel sesame cakes, buckwheat bowls and other local specialties.
Day 6 Huozhou → Wang Family Courtyard → Pingyao Ancient City → Overnight in Pingyao
All day
【Wang Family Courtyard】
The Wang Family Courtyard is a culmination of Qing Dynasty residential architecture. Known for its emphasis on refinement over grandeur, novelty and elegance over delicate and extravagant design, it embodies the "delicate and complex" aesthetic of the Qing Dynasty. Following the footsteps of history, we'll wander among the ancient buildings, listen to stories of the courtyard's ups and downs, touch the meticulously crafted historical heritage, and stroll among the flowers and trees in the courtyard, feeling a sense of comfort all our own.
Pingyao Ancient City
We then headed to Pingyao Ancient City, where we had free time. Pingyao Ancient City is one of China's four remaining intact ancient cities, boasting over 2,700 years of history. You can choose to ascend the Ancient City Tower for a panoramic view of the city, or purchase a Pingyao Pass, which includes access to over a dozen smaller attractions, including the County Government Office, Rishengchang, the Escort Agency, and the ancient city wall. For a more leisurely stroll, you can rent a bicycle and explore the streets and alleys of Pingyao, discovering your own version of Pingyao. Discovering delicious food is also a delight. Trying kao lao lao (a type of pork stew with a scallion) (a type of pork bowl with a scallion) or shui jian bao (a type of pork bun with a scallion)—perhaps this is the Pingyao we've always imagined!
Tourists who want to immerse themselves in Pingyao are recommended to purchase a pass. Recommended attractions include: Xietongqing Money House, China Escort Agency Museum, Rishengchang, City God Temple - God of Wealth Temple, City God Temple, Ma Family Courtyard, etc.
Tourists interested in travel makeup and photoshoots should definitely try the "Jin Merchants' Madam" makeup and photoshoot experience when visiting Pingyao! After getting your makeup done, pose in various poses along Ming and Qing Dynasty streets, and you'll feel like you've stepped back into that era!
【Rest and Check-in】
That night, we stayed at a unique inn in the ancient city. A must-see experience is the nightscape of Pingyao Ancient City. The streets are lined with a brilliant light, dotted with a variety of small shops, each with its own story waiting to be discovered by tourists. Cafés, bars, bookshops, and a variety of unique and interesting shops, artistic by day and bustling by night, offer a sense of time travel.
Day 7 Pingyao → Jin Temple → Taiyuan Disbandment
All day
After waking up naturally in the morning, you can continue to explore Pingyao at your own pace and experience the tranquility of the morning.
Tourists interested in ancient architecture can also take a taxi to the "Twin Pearls of Pingyao"—Zhenguo Temple and Shuanglin Temple—which are listed as World Cultural Heritage along with Pingyao Ancient City.
Zhenguo Temple - See the ancient wooden structures from the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period. Besides a small number of Five Dynasties colored sculptures in the Mogao Grottoes in Dunhuang, the colored sculptures in the Hall of Ten Thousand Buddhas in Zhenguo Temple are the only Five Dynasties works preserved in temples and monasteries across China.
Shuanglin Temple—a treasure trove of oriental colored sculptures. Over 2,000 sculptures showcase the essence of Song, Yuan, Ming, and Qing dynasties. Among them are the crown of the national Skanda, the Thousand-Armed Guanyin in a myriad of poses...
Go to Jin Temple at noon
A visit to Shanxi is a must-see for those visiting the Jin Temple. Over 1,500 years old, it's one of China's oldest existing imperial sacrificial gardens. It embodies a blend of grandeur and elegance, a model of ancestral temple architecture integrated with natural landscapes. The Nanlao Spring, the Maidservant Statue, and the Virgin Mary Statue are known as the "Three Wonders of the Jin Temple." Two Zhou Dynasty cypress trees within the temple are said to be over 3,000 years old, reflecting the vicissitudes of Jinyang. A quiet tour of the Jin Temple reveals a thousand-year-old beauty that even Liang Sicheng and Lin Huiyin cherished.
After having fun, we will head to Taiyuan to disband the group. We will first send you to Taiyuan Airport, then to Taiyuan South Station, and finally to Taiyuan Railway Station!
Arrive at Taiyuan Wusu Airport around 17:00. You can buy flights or trains after 19:00 to avoid delays.
Arrive at Taiyuan South Station at around 17:30. You can book flights or trains after 18:30 to avoid delays.
Arrive at Taiyuan Railway Station at around 17:50. You can book flights or trains after 18:50 to avoid delays.
If you wish to continue your tour in Pingyao or leave early, please inform the tour leader in advance and sign a departure agreement. You can then take a taxi to Pingyao Ancient City High-Speed Railway Station, choose a suitable train, and disband the group according to your own arrangements.
