Ten ideas, not a ranking
The list below follows the geography. Ideas 1 to 4 are in the Shaolin core. Ideas 5 and 6 lead onto Mount Song. Ideas 7 to 10 are in and around Dengfeng and belong to other groups of the UNESCO World Heritage ensemble. The numbers are not a ranking, and the list does not promise that everything is open on the same day.
Each place has its own ticket or none at all, so do not carry the Shaolin hours over to the others. Prices are in Chinese yuan (CNY) with a rough US dollar value, as listed in 2026.
In the Shaolin scenic area
Four places around the temple core.
1. The Shaolin temple core
The main temple complex is part of a UNESCO group that also includes the Chuzu Temple and the Pagoda Forest. Founded in 495, it lost important halls to a warlord fire in 1928, so do not assume that every building dates from the founding. Adult entry is CNY 80 (about $11) on the city price list.
Tickets and hours →2. The Pagoda Forest
The Pagoda Forest (Talin) is the burial ground of Buddhist monks west of the temple. It is a field of stone tomb pagodas, not towers to climb. An older provincial page gives more than 14,000 square meters. A repair contract for a first phase of conservation work was published in December 2025, so ask what is open on your day.
Pagoda Forest guide →3. The daytime kung fu performance
The performance takes place in the Shaolin Temple Martial Arts Hall, about 700 m east of the temple. A booking site describes the performers as mostly students of martial arts schools, not all ordained monks. The hall is listed as open from 10:00 to 16:30, but individual performance times differ between sources. Check the timetable on site.
Kung fu show guide →4. The Chuzu Temple
The Chuzu Temple belongs to the same UNESCO group as the temple core and the Pagoda Forest. A June 2026 guide lists Chuzu and Erzu among the places covered by the Shaolin ticket. Confirm at the gate, since conditions can change.
Our picks: things to do near Shaolin
An evening show, a kung fu class and a private day that adds the Longmen Grottoes.
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.
Day trip to Shaolin with a kung fu class
Hotel pickup, an English-speaking guide, temple entry and one or two hours of kung fu, depending on the option. Lunch and tips are extra, and booking needs each traveller's passport details.
Check availability →
Private day: Longmen Grottoes, Shaolin and kung fu show
Private car with driver and guide, entries, a golf cart at both sites, the kung fu show and lunch. The entry-tickets-and-transfer option leaves out the guide, lunch, golf cart and train.
Check availability →
Zen Shaolin Music Ceremony evening performance
A 65-minute evening show in five parts with shared seating and an introduction on site. It is a show ticket only, not a temple ticket; an English guide is not included.
Check availability →Shaolin tours and combinations
Day trips from Zhengzhou and Luoyang, entry tickets and combinations with Longmen, with live prices and availability.
On the mountain and around Dengfeng
Ideas 5 and 6 are on Mount Song. Ideas 7 to 10 have their own tickets.
5. The Damo Cave
Tradition links a cave on Wuru Peak with Bodhidharma and nine years of meditation. Treat that as tradition, not as a documented biography. The city lists the cave as a station on its route, but the current access and walking time need a check before you go.
History of the monastery →6. Sanhuangzhai
Sanhuangzhai is a mountain route that leads over Shaoshi to Shaolin. A June 2026 guide mentions the Shuceya cliff (Book Cliff) with a suspension bridge and estimates 3 to 4 hours one way. The Shaolin cable car is listed at CNY 70 (about $10) one way and CNY 100 (about $14) return. The area was closed from 1 June 2023 after a road collapse, so check whether trail and cable car are open.
Mount Song guide →7. The Songyang Academy
The Songyang Academy is its own UNESCO group. Entry is CNY 30 (about $4). In Dengfeng, city bus lines 2 and 6 serve it.
Dengfeng guide →8. The Zhongyue Temple
The Zhongyue Temple forms a UNESCO group with Taishi Que. Entry is CNY 30 (about $4), and city bus line 2 goes there.
9. The Songyue Pagoda
The Songyue Pagoda is a separate UNESCO group. UNESCO writes the name as Songye. Do not mix it up with the Pagoda Forest at Shaolin. Entry is CNY 40 (about $6).
10. The observatory
The observatory is the eighth group of the ensemble and is listed on the city price list as free. Opening hours for this site need a check before you go.
How to combine the ideas
Suggestions for planning, not timetables.
| Plan | Ideas | Ticket and cost notes |
|---|---|---|
| Shaolin core | 1, 2, 3, 4 | CNY 80 (about $11), electric cart CNY 15 (about $2) one way if you want it |
| Shaolin and the mountain | 1 to 6 | Add the cable car, listed at CNY 70 (about $10) one way; check that it runs |
| Dengfeng sights | 7, 8, 9 | Combined ticket CNY 79.9 (about $11) for four sights; the Zhongyue Temple is not one of them |
| Observatory | 10 | Free on the city list |
| Longmen Grottoes | – | A separate day near Luoyang, not part of this list |
The combined ticket covers the Songyang Academy, Mount Taishi, the Fawang Temple and the Songyue Pagoda. It does not cover every UNESCO site and not the cable cars. The Fawang Temple costs CNY 20 (about $3) on its own and Mount Taishi CNY 50 (about $7).
More guides
Details for the places above.
Things to do at Shaolin: frequently asked questions
How many days do I need at Shaolin?
The Shaolin scenic area alone can fill a day, especially with the mountain route. The Dengfeng sights are a second plan. Longmen is a further day. Public sources do not give a fixed visit time, so build in a buffer.
Are all ten places open every day?
No source confirms that they are all open at the same time. The Shaolin hours cannot be applied to the Songyang Academy, the Zhongyue Temple or the Songyue Pagoda. Check the current opening hours before you go.
Is the Pagoda Forest the same as the Songyue Pagoda?
No. The Pagoda Forest is the monks' burial ground at Shaolin. The Songyue Pagoda is a separate monument near Dengfeng with its own ticket.
How do I get from Shaolin to the other sights?
Buses run from the Dengfeng West Bus Station along the G207 road to Shaolin, and city lines 2 and 6 serve the Songyang Academy and the Zhongyue Temple. Current fares and timetables need a check. See getting there.
Are the Longmen Grottoes part of Shaolin?
No. They lie near Luoyang, about 55 to 60 km from Shaolin according to tour operators. Plan a separate day or a long combined trip. See the tours page.