Zhengzhou Private Tour to Shaolin Temple including Kungfu Lesson and Activities
Description
As the cradle of Chinese Kung Fu and a renowned World Cultural Heritage site, Shaolin Temple is far more than a scenic spot—it’s the soul of ancient Chinese martial arts and Buddhism. This niche private one-day tour lets you dive deep into its legacy, with all tickets, local lunch and authentic Kung Fu lesson with Shaolin masters included for a exclusive experience. You’ll explore this iconic heritage site at your own pace with a knowledgeable guide, uncovering its thousand-year history, profound cultural stories and the grandeur of China’s largest Pagoda Forest. Watch a breathtaking live Kung Fu performance by Shaolin disciples, where every agile move and powerful stance showcases the authentic essence of Shaolin martial arts. The ultimate highlight is your hands-on Kung Fu lesson, taught by a master. You’ll learn basic classic stances&movements with 1-on-1 guidance, touching the real spirit of Shaolin Kung Fu beyond sightseeing—a rare, immersive experience few travelers get to enjoy.
Tour Options
Itinerary
Start your exclusive Shaolin journey with ultimate convenience: our professional guide and driver will pick you up directly from your hotel in Zhengzhou at your preferred time. They will greet you warmly, briefly introduce the day’s niche itinerary, and then we’ll head to Shaolin Temple—approximately a 1.5-hour drive, allowing you to relax and enjoy the beautiful scenery along the way. During the drive, your knowledgeable guide will immerse you in the profound history of Shaolin Temple: as the cradle of Chinese Kung Fu and a prestigious World Cultural Heritage site, it has a history of over 1,500 years, witnessing the integration of Buddhism and martial arts, and being the birthplace of Shaolin Kung Fu that has shocked the world. This pre-tour explanation will let you have a comprehensive understanding of Shaolin’s origin and cultural connotation, laying a perfect foundation for your on-site visit.
Upon arrival, we will arrange your visit according to the Kung Fu performance schedule. You will watch an authentic, intimate Shaolin Kung Fu performance, where Shaolin disciples will showcase breathtaking martial arts moves: agile fist techniques, powerful weapon skills, flexible Qigong displays, and the unique hard qigong that has been passed down for centuries. Every move is full of strength and precision, interpreting the essence of Shaolin Kung Fu, and you can feel the charm of this ancient martial art up close. Afterwards, follow your guide to explore the core area of Shaolin Temple. You will visit the iconic Hall of Heavenly Kings, where you can admire the majestic Buddha statues and the exquisite ancient carvings, listening to the guide tell the legendary stories behind each hall; then walk into the Main Hall, feeling the solemn and sacred atmosphere of Buddhism, appreciating the precious cultural relics and murals that record the history of Shaolin.
Next, we will go to the Pagoda Forest, the third part of Shaolin Temple and a unique cultural landmark. With a history of over 1,000 years, it is the largest and best-preserved pagoda forest in China, where each pagoda is a tombstone for Shaolin abbots and eminent monks, recording their lifelong achievements and the development of Shaolin Buddhism. You will wander among the 230-odd pagodas of different shapes and sizes, admire the exquisite architectural art of the Tang, Song, Yuan, Ming and Qing dynasties, and listen to the guide explain the historical background and cultural significance of each pagoda—this is a rare opportunity to understand the development of Shaolin Buddhism and ancient Chinese pagoda architecture.
The most exciting part of the day is coming: your exclusive Shaolin Kung Fu experience (you can choose 1 or 2 hours according to your preference). On the quiet training ground inside Shaolin Temple, you will be taught by seasoned Shaolin masters—this is a niche experience that most ordinary tourists cannot get. The masters will teach you basic and authentic Shaolin Kung Fu stances, fist techniques and simple moves, with one-on-one guidance, correcting your movements patiently, letting you personally feel the discipline, strength and philosophy behind Shaolin Kung Fu, and leaving you with a unique and unforgettable memory. We also include a delicious local lunch for you—you can choose a vegetarian lunch or a common local meal. After the entire itinerary is completed, our professional driver and guide will send you back to your hotel in Zhengzhou safely and comfortably, bringing your exclusive and unforgettable Shaolin one-day tour to a perfect end.
Highlights
What's included
Pickup Locations & Times
We will pick you up from you hotel in Zhengzhou ,please provide hotel information when make booking
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Infants are required to sit on an adult’s lap
- Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
- Please advise any specific dietary requirements at time of booking
- Vegetarian option is available, please advise at time of booking if required
Reviews(5)
An amazing experience. Helps you feel the spirit of Shao Ling. Not just a regular sightseeing tour fighting the crowds and trying to get a picture, but an activity worth remembering. Our guide Mountain took excellent care of us and even presented a little gift to commemorate our trip. Only the best memories
Cindy is the very best Guide I have ever had in any tour!!! She was so nice, patient and simply a joy to be with! She paid close attention to all of my wishes and made sure nothing was missed and it’s obvious she loves her job! If anyone that I know would be interested in this tour, I would very highly recommend Cindy!
Thank you very much, it was one of the best tours we took during our trip to China. We had a great time and would happily do it again.
Our guide Mountain (I think that’s how to spell his name) picked us up from the hotel for a private transfer to the Shaolin Temple explaining along the way some history of the temple and surrounding area. He was very knowledgeable. When we arrived he took care of all the ticket arrangements, showed us around and took us to the show which was great. We then walked around the Temple where he explained about many of the buildings and their history before taking us to the Pagoda Forest telling us about some of the pagodas where the history was known. We then went for an excellent lunch at a local farm before being taken to a famous Kung Fu school for a private lesson. A really insightful look into the world of a traditional Kung Fu school. I would definitely recommend this trip to anyone visiting this part of China.
Hidden in the Song Shan mountains this beautiful temple complex and other areas of interest (Forest of the Pagodas, and the 2nd Patriarch Temple via cable car) is a must see tour and worth every dollar. I would highly recommend the tour guide option as I chose as Jimmy, my tour guide made the whole experience very rich and informative - he was absolutely excellent! We saw the Shaolin Monk demonstration as we arrived and I was fortunate to be selected to go on stage to learn some Tiger Boxing techniques from one of the monks. This is a must see! Open hand techniques, weapons techniques, and the amazing Shaolin hard Qi Gong demonstration. As a kung fu martial artist for 45 years, it has been a life long dream to visit Shaolin and the origin of the martial arts. Arriving at the Mountain Gate was breathtaking. As we walked through the temple grounds and courtyards we stepped back 1500 years in time. The buildings are restored and immaculate. Each courtyard, new pavilion or "Shaolin Treasure" offered interesting stories and great perspective on the rich history of Shaolin. There are too many details to add here - one must experience it directly. The Forest of the Pagodas contains about 240 stone monuments to abbots and senior monks throughout the long history of Shaolin. The more levels to the pagoda, the more important the individual was to the Temple. The last area I visited was the 2nd Patriarch Temple that can be reached by cable car. There is a small fee (but I received a free pass for participating in the Shaolin Monk show) and this is a must see. The ride was about 15 or 20 mins and you get a great aerial view of the Temple complex, Forest of the Pagodas and the whole Song Shan mountain ranges and valley. On the opposite mountain range you can see an enormous stone statue of the 1st Patriarch Boddhidharma on the crest of the mountain looking down on the temple grounds. As you approach the end of the ride up the mountain the air starts to warm up and a lush bamboo forrest appears. Making your way to the 2nd Patriarch Temple it is again noticably warmer and a beautiful oasis halfway up Song Mountain. The temple is very large and is famous for its 4 natural wells one at each corner of the courtyard. By donation you can extract samples of the water - each well has a different flavor: sweet, bitter, spicy and sour. Sweet and bitter were my favorites. When we finished our tour of Shaolin I still had a 2 hour private kung fu lesson at the International Shaolin Kung Fu Training Centre. As I have several years of Kung Fu training, Master Wang was able to teach me an open hand set and a Shaolin cudgle (staff) set. Jimmy was kind enough to video parts of my lesson and take photos (as he did throughout the entire day). We were even able to exchange techniques on broadswords and tiger hook swords. It was a full day, and exceptional day, and a day that I will never forget! I highly recommend this tour especially with the tour guide option and the kung fu lesson, it is well worth the money! Gordon M. Canada
