13 Datong Tours Worth Losing a Morning To

1.Private Datong Day Tour Arranged by Local Tour Guide Nancy

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 46 reviews · from $219Our pick

Spend 7 to 8 hours exploring Datong’s Yungang Grottoes and Hengshan Hanging Temple with a private guide such as Nancy, Sarah, or Kevin. Your guide meets you at a hotel, railway station, or airport, handles entrance tickets, explains the sites in clear English, and returns you to your chosen Datong drop-off point. Lunch is not included.

“Great guide. Very friendly, knowledgeable, and great English. Also found great noodle place for lunch. Unfortunately the driver stunk very badly (body odor) and the car smelled like rotten pickles the entire long drives. I had to have window down to breath and hold my nose. Tiur operator, teach your drivers basic hygiene please.”

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2.Beijing to Datong See YunGang Cave, Hanging Temple (Bullet Train)

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 39 reviews · from $416

Leave Beijing early by bullet train for Datong’s 1,500-year-old Yungang Grottoes and the cliffside Hanging Temple. George or another local English-speaking guide meets you at the station, while round-trip rail tickets, lunch, admissions, and car transfers are arranged. Expect a long but rewarding 12 to 15-hour day.

“We were amazed by the intricate Buddha stone carvings inside the caves, as well as by the monasteries hanging on the side of the cliffs. Our guide, George, and our driver made everything easy for us.”

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3.Bullet Train Tour to Hanging Temple&Yungang Grottoes

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 16 reviews · 10 hours · from $348

You travel from Beijing to Datong by bullet train, then visit the 1,500-year-old Hanging Temple and UNESCO-listed Yungang Grottoes with a private English-speaking guide. Guides such as Ana and Emma have provided detailed history and careful help on the cliffside temple. Private transfers, tickets, and admission are included.

“wonderful day out, Emma my guide was amazing. told me all the history of the Grottoes and Hanging Temple. She made sure I was safe on the Hanging Temple as im not the best with heights. Lunch was probably the best meal I had on my visit to China. food was tasty and freshly made. our driver for the day was great, lovely man as was the pick up and drop off driver from the bullet train. It was a very organised tour from start to finish. Thank you for helping to create wonderful memories”

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4.Datong Classic Day Tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 13 reviews · from $208

Spend 7 to 8 hours visiting Hengshan Hanging Temple and the UNESCO-listed Yungang Grottoes with a private English-speaking guide. Round-trip transport from your Datong hotel or railway station is included. Nancy can help adjust an early start during busy holiday periods. Entrance-ticket details should be confirmed before booking.

“This was the highlight of my trip to Datong! I came here during a Chinese National Holiday weekend and so it was extra busy. Viator connected me with Nancy beforehand and she recommended that I start earlier than the normal start time iRead more”

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5.Yungang Grottoes Entrance Ticket Only

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 12 reviews · 1 day · from $33

This is a one-day admission booking for Yungang Grottoes, about 16 kilometers west of Datong. Your ticket is tied to your passport name and number, valid all day without a time slot. You get skip-the-line entry, not transportation, meals, or a tour guide. Allow about three hours inside and arrange your own taxi or bus.

“La vista ha sido espectacular y la entrada con el pasaporte muy buena. Una sugerencia que podrien comentar es el Transporte hasta las cuevas, creo que no se hace para que compres la entrada más desplazamiento. Se puede ir desde Datong con taxi y volver con taxi. O ir y volver con dos buses. Nosotras optamos por ir en taxi y volver con bus porque ya no teníamos prisa.”

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6.HangingTemple&Grotto Private Car with Entrance ticket

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 11 reviews · 1 day

Spend a full day visiting Datong’s cliffside Hanging Temple and the vast Yungang Grottoes. A private Chinese-speaking driver collects you from your Datong hotel, railway station, or airport, with admission tickets, fuel, tolls, and parking included. No guide or meals are provided, so plan to explore independently.

“The driver was on time, drove smoothly, car was in good condition. Sites are impressive, highly recommend to visit both. It is intense if you want to visit both in be day, it is feasible.”

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7.Datong Private Self-guided Tour with Chartered Car

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 10 reviews · from $79

Travel by private car from your Datong hotel, railway station, or airport to the Hanging Temple and Yungang Grottoes. Your driver waits while you explore independently. The route suits 1 to 10 people, with entrance tickets and guide service arranged separately. Book Yungang tickets online before you go.

“Driver Mr Li picked me up from the train station. From Datong South Rail station to Hanging Temple was about 1 hour in automobile. Driver was great. I highly recommend this trip. I was supposed to go to the Grottoes but I was too tired and decided to go back to the hotel (but Read more”

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8.Temples and Grottoes day tour with tickets options

★★★★★★★★★★3.1 · 7 reviews · 2 - 8 hours · from $27Best value

You’ll visit the Hanging Monastery, built into a cliff 75 meters above the ground, then explore Yungang Grottoes, home to 53 caves and 51,000 Buddha statues. Choose a private English-guided tour or a lower-cost self-guided option with a Chinese-speaking driver and translation support. Guides such as John, Nancy, and Phoebe have led recent tours.

“They didn't book any tickets on my behalf. Terrible experience, I had to buy new tickets, getyorguide didn't want to deal with the complaint. 50 euros lost and they almost ruin my day in Datong. Never anymore with them”

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9.Pingyao Ancient City Scenic Area Pass Ticket Only

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 6 reviews · 1 day · from $36

Use a QR code to enter Pingyao Ancient City and explore its major sights on your own. The $36 pass covers the city wall, Rishengchang Draft Bank, temples, government offices, historic residences, bodyguard museums, and more. No guide, meals, transport, or Shuanglin and Zhenguo temples are included.

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10.Private 2-Day Datong from Beijing with Yungang Grottoes

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 6 reviews · from $598

Travel by private vehicle from Beijing to Datong with a guide, stopping at Yungang Grottoes, Nine Dragon Screen, Hengshan Hanging Temple, and Yingxian Wooden Pagoda. Expect long drives, included entrance fees, two lunches, and local dishes such as hand-cut noodles. Accommodation is not included.

“Awesome tour! Definitely a must to go out of the city of Beijing for a while. Loved the grottoes and the monastery! Jenny our guide was awesome and full of knowledge so provided us so much insight about the places we were visiting. She alRead more”

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11.Transfer or Tour to Yungang Grottoes&Hanging Temple

★★★★★★★★★★4.4 · 4 reviews · 2 - 8 hours · from $30

Travel by private vehicle from Datong to the Yungang Grottoes and Hanging Temple, two major UNESCO sites. Choose driver-only transport, an English-speaking guide and driver, or a package with tickets included. Expect about 2.5 hours at Yungang and 1.5 hours at the Hanging Temple. Pickup is available from a Datong hotel or train station.

“Doing all the math of the service without a guide: 93 euros, here I paid 156 euros. I feel this was a bit overpriced but it was my fault that I did not check before. The driver was excellent at least.”

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12.Private Tour Datong Hengshan Hanging Temple Yungang Grottoes

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 4 reviews · 8 hours · from $200

Spend eight hours exploring Datong’s cliff-hugging Hengshan Hanging Temple and the Buddhist art of the Yungang Grottoes. Your private English-speaking guide, such as Sara, Lia, Ms Yao, or Ms Zhang, handles transport and historical context. Lunch is at your own cost, with time for Dao Xiao Mian and other local dishes.

“Our day with Sara to the Yungang Grottoes and the Hanging Temple was amazing! We had so much fun talking with Sara. She guided us through both experiences smoothly. The sites are amazing and certainly worth a visit with an experienced guide like Sara.”

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13.Datong Yungang Grottoes and Hanging Monastery 1-day from Beijing by Train

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 4 reviews · from $399

Take a two-hour bullet train from Beijing to Datong, then visit the UNESCO-listed Yungang Grottoes and 1,500-year-old Hanging Monastery with a private English-speaking guide. Guide Star is praised for clear commentary and careful time management. Admission is included, and you’ll sample Shanxi-style food before returning to Beijing.

“A must see if you enjoy culture, history, and unique experiences. The train ride was smooth and quiet. Star was an extremely professional and knowledgeable guide. I am so glad that I hadn't tried to do this trip on my own. His knowledge of local history kept me in thralled the entire trip.”

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