Why a Shaolin Temple private tour beats the timetable
A Shaolin Temple private tour fixes the one weak point of going by public transport: the clock. The direct bus from Zhengzhou Central Bus Station to car park P3 costs CNY 30 (about $4) and takes about 2 hours, but the announced departures run from 07:30 to 09:40 and the return trips from 14:30 to 17:30.
The second reason is distance. The Longmen Grottoes near Luoyang lie about 55 to 60 km from Shaolin, roughly 90 minutes by car according to tour operators. Doing both in one day means a driver, and the longest option below is built around exactly that. All prices are starting prices per person from November 2026.
Our picks: private Shaolin tours
A car with a guide from Zhengzhou, a five hour day with entry and lunch, a Longmen and Shaolin day, and a Longmen ticket.
Hand-picked tours, booked through GetYourGuide. Prices are indicative starting prices in US dollars (as of October 2026). Tap a tour for live availability and the current price in your currency.
Private day tour to Shaolin with the Yuan dynasty observatory
A private transfer, an English-speaking guide, Shaolin entry, a one-way electric bus and lunch. Tips are extra.
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Private day: Longmen Grottoes, Shaolin and kung fu show
The entry-tickets-and-transfer option leaves out the guide, lunch, golf cart and train.
Check availability →Private guided transfer to Shaolin from Zhengzhou
Private car, guide, water and hotel pickup in Zhengzhou. Temple entry and the electric bus depend on the option; the basic option leaves out entry, electric bus and lunch.
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Longmen Grottoes ticket or private tour
Longmen entry; a guide and transfer come only with the options that include them, so the ticket-only option has neither. This offer does not include Shaolin entry.
Check availability →Private Shaolin Temple tours
Compare private trips from Zhengzhou and Luoyang, from a car with a guide to a full day with Longmen.
Six hours by private car from Zhengzhou
This is the plain version: a private car, a guide, water and pickup at your hotel in Zhengzhou, six hours in total, from $98 per person. The basic option leaves out temple entry, the electric bus and lunch. Entry is CNY 80 (about $11) per person, and the electric bus inside the area is CNY 15 one way. It suits a couple or a family who want door-to-door transport and a guide, and who would rather add the extras they want.
Five hours with entry and lunch
The Shaolin Temple private day tour at $187 per person covers a private transfer, an English-speaking guide, Shaolin entry, a one-way electric bus and lunch. It also adds the Yuan dynasty observatory in Dengfeng, one of the UNESCO monuments of the area, which has no entry fee. Choose it if you want the day settled in one price.
Longmen and Shaolin in one private day
The longest option runs 8 to 11 hours and costs $158 per person. It starts at your hotel or station in Luoyang, or in Xi'an with a second-class train included. It fits first-time visitors in Luoyang who want the grottoes and the temple without planning the 55 to 60 km between them. The entry-tickets-and-transfer version leaves out the guide, lunch, golf cart and train.
Longmen Grottoes private tour or ticket only
At $27, this Longmen offer starts from the grottoes entrance when you take the ticket-only option, with no guide or transfer. A guide and transfer come with the options that list them. It does not include Shaolin entry, so use it for a Luoyang day on its own.
What a private day costs your group
Because the prices are per person, the total grows with your party. Two people pay $196 for the car and guide from Zhengzhou, $374 for the five hour day and $316 for Longmen and Shaolin together. Four people pay $392, $748 and $632. The Longmen ticket-only option is $54 for two and $108 for four.
If you only want to get in and wander on your own, an entry ticket from our tickets page is the cheaper route.
Private trips to Shaolin: practical questions
How much does a private trip cost for two people?
Two people pay $196 for the six hour car and guide from Zhengzhou, $316 for the Longmen and Shaolin day and $374 for the five hour day with entry and lunch. Prices are starting prices per person from November 2026.
Which option includes Shaolin entry?
The five hour day includes Shaolin entry, and so does the Longmen and Shaolin day with its entries. The basic Zhengzhou car option leaves it out, so add CNY 80 (about $11) per person. The Longmen ticket covers only the grottoes.
Can I see Longmen and Shaolin in one day?
Yes, with the 8 to 11 hour private day.
How long do the private tours take?
The entry-and-lunch day takes 5 hours and the car with guide from Zhengzhou takes 6. The combined Longmen and Shaolin day takes 8 to 11 hours, and the Longmen offer takes 4 to 8 hours depending on the option.