Cradle of China

Editor's itineraries

Plans that already worked

Three routes across the province and two-day plans for each city, written in the order we actually walked them. Times are estimates; ask us and a person will adjust them to your dates.

Browse cities

Across the province

Start with a whole route

The first five days: capitals, caves and kung fu
5 days·First-time visitors with five days and one suitcase

The first five days: capitals, caves and kung fu

Zhengzhou in, Dengfeng for the mountain, Luoyang for the grottoes, Kaifeng for the night market, back out by rail. The shortest route that still feels unhurried.

Zhengzhou → Dengfeng → Luoyang → Kaifeng

Day by day+
  1. Day 1Land at Xinzheng, take the airport express to Zhengzhou East, then a 40-minute train to Dengfeng. Walk the Songyang Academy before dinner.
  2. Day 2Shaolin at opening, the pagoda forest before the tour buses, then the 6pm training session if you stay overnight.
  3. Day 3Morning train to Luoyang. Longmen Grottoes from 8am, east bank first, then the museum quarter in the afternoon.
  4. Day 4White Horse Temple in the morning, the old town and water banquet at night. Keep the evening free for the river walk.
  5. Day 5Twenty minutes by rail to Kaifeng. Qingming Park, the Iron Pagoda, then the Drum Tower night market before the last train.
  • —Book Longmen and the Henan Museum slots online before you land.
  • —Luggage storage is available at every station on this route.
  • —Swap Day 4 and 5 if your flight leaves from Zhengzhou in the morning.
Seven days of ridges and cloud
7 days·Travellers who would rather climb than queue

Seven days of ridges and cloud

Luoyang, Laojun Mountain, Yuntai and the Taihang edge, finishing in Anyang. Built for walking, with two nights on the mountain side.

Luoyang → Anyang

Day by day+
  1. Day 1Luoyang arrival, Longmen in the late afternoon light, dinner in the old town.
  2. Day 2Drive or shuttle to Laojun Mountain, second cable car up, summit temples by late afternoon.
  3. Day 3Sunrise on the ridge, walk down through the forest, overnight in Luoyang.
  4. Day 4Train to Jiaozuo, transfer to Yuntai. Red Stone Gorge in the afternoon.
  5. Day 5Yuntai waterfall and the quiet valleys; sleep in the scenic area.
  6. Day 6North to the Taihang edge: Guoliang cliff road and the wall-top villages.
  7. Day 7Train to Anyang, Yinxu and the character museum, out from Anyang East.
  • —Mountain weather changes fast; keep one buffer day if you fly out immediately after.
  • —Cable cars stop in high wind — check the live camera before buying.
  • —Guoliang is easier with a driver; public transport adds two hours.
Four days of capitals and kitchens
4 days·Food-first travellers and couples

Four days of capitals and kitchens

Kaifeng, Zhengzhou and Luoyang at eating pace: one market, one banquet, one breakfast street, and enough walking to deserve all three.

Kaifeng → Zhengzhou → Luoyang

Day by day+
  1. Day 1Kaifeng: Qingming Park in the afternoon, Drum Tower stalls after 8pm, soup dumplings last.
  2. Day 2Breakfast noodles, then the train to Zhengzhou. Henan Museum in the afternoon, Only Henan at night.
  3. Day 3Morning train to Luoyang. Longmen, then the water banquet — book the table before you go.
  4. Day 4White Horse Temple, a last bowl of beef soup, and the afternoon train out.
  • —Water banquet is served in courses; go hungry and skip lunch.
  • —Night markets take mobile payment; carry ¥100 in cash as backup.
  • —Kaifeng's best breakfast streets are behind the bookstore street.

One city at a time

Two-day plans for five cities

Short stays, no wasted mornings

Luoyang洛阳

City guide

2 day plan

Luoyang in two days: caves first, old town second

One day for the Yi River and the grottoes, one for the temples, the old town and a water banquet.

Day by day+
  1. Day 1 · 08:00Enter Longmen at opening, west bank first, cross at the bridge, return by the east bank.
  2. Day 1 · 15:30Yingtian Gate and the old city walls; stay for the evening projection on the south plaza.
  3. Day 2 · 09:00White Horse Temple, then the museum quarter if it rains.
  4. Day 2 · 18:30Water banquet in the old town. Twenty-four dishes; pace yourself.
  • — Longmen ticket covers both banks — keep it.
  • — The 8am slot has the least crowd on the west bank.

1 day plan

One peony day in late April

Wangcheng Park early, the peony tables at lunch, and a slow afternoon around the old town.

Day by day+
  1. 07:30Wangcheng Park at opening; the east beds catch the first light.
  2. 12:00Peony-themed dishes at a old-town restaurant — ask for the seasonal menu.
  3. 15:00Luoyang Museum, then tea in the old town lanes.
  • — Peak bloom shifts every year; check the park's daily notice.
  • — Weekday mornings are far quieter.

Kaifeng开封

City guide

1 day plan

A Song dynasty day in Kaifeng

City wall in the morning, Qingming Park in the afternoon, and the Drum Tower after dark when the stalls light up.

Day by day+
  1. 09:00Walk a section of the Song city wall, then the Iron Pagoda.
  2. 13:30Qingming Park: craft streets first, the water show after 19:00.
  3. 20:00Drum Tower night market. Soup dumplings, lamb skewers, almond tea.
  • — One ticket covers the park day and night sections.
  • — The night market peaks at 20:30.

1 day plan

Kaifeng after five

A short evening plan for arrivals: wall at sunset, lake walk, then eat until the stalls close.

Day by day+
  1. 17:30Walk the wall from Daliang Gate as the light drops.
  2. 18:45Loop the lakes; the far shore is quiet and lit.
  3. 20:00Drum Tower square: start with soup dumplings, finish with almond tea.
  • — Most stalls are cash or mobile pay, not cards.
  • — Taxis are hard to get after 21:30 near the square.

Zhengzhou郑州

City guide

1 day plan

Bronze by day, theatre by night

The Henan Museum in the morning and Only Henan in the evening — the two things worth building a day around.

Day by day+
  1. 09:30Henan Museum, bronze hall first, then the jade and the oracle bones.
  2. 14:00Coffee and the Shang city wall in the old centre.
  3. 17:30Only Henan: three long shows, dinner between them.
  • — Museum entry is free but timed; book the 09:00–11:00 slot.
  • — Only Henan is 40 minutes from the centre.

1 day plan

Zhengzhou with children

Short walks, one museum with hands-on rooms, and an early dinner so nobody melts down.

Day by day+
  1. 09:30Henan Museum's hands-on hall, then the archaeological finds gallery.
  2. 12:30Noodles for lunch — ask for a non-spicy bowl.
  3. 15:00Riverside park and an early return to the hotel.
  • — Strollers are allowed but lifts are limited.
  • — Book museum tickets for each child too.

Dengfeng登封

City guide

1 day plan

Shaolin and the mountain in one day

Temple at opening, pagoda forest before the groups, then the cable car to Sanhuangzhai for the ridge walk.

Day by day+
  1. 08:00Shaolin Temple halls, then 400 metres to the pagoda forest.
  2. 11:30Lunch in the village, then the cable car to Sanhuangzhai.
  3. 13:30Two hours on the ridge path, back down before the last car.
  • — The 6am training session needs an overnight stay.
  • — Ridge paths are exposed; carry water.

2 day plan

Sleep at the foot of Songshan

Arrive late, see the 6am training, then the academy and the Zhongyue Temple with the rest of the day.

Day by day+
  1. Day 1 · 17:00Arrive, walk the village, sleep early.
  2. Day 2 · 06:00Training session in the temple courtyard.
  3. Day 2 · 10:00Songyang Academy, then Zhongyue Temple before the train.
  • — Mornings are cold even in May.
  • — Ask the guesthouse to arrange a 5:30 wake-up.

Anyang安阳

City guide

1 day plan

Follow the oracle bones

Yinxu in the morning with a guide, the character museum after lunch, and flat noodles before the train.

Day by day+
  1. 09:00Yinxu: palace foundations, the oracle pits, then the new museum.
  2. 13:30Chinese Character Museum — start on the top floor and work down.
  3. 17:00Flat noodles near Wenfeng Pagoda, then the evening train.
  • — A guide at Yinxu changes the visit completely.
  • — The museum is closed on Mondays.

1 day plan

Anyang's old city on foot

Wenfeng Pagoda lanes, breakfast stalls before nine, and the city wall park in the afternoon.

Day by day+
  1. 08:00Breakfast on the lane behind Wenfeng Pagoda.
  2. 10:00Old streets and the little local museum.
  3. 14:00City wall park, tea, then Anyang East.
  • — Breakfast stalls finish by 09:30.
  • — The east station is 25 minutes from the old city.