Shaolin Temple sits at the western foot of Mount Song, near the town of Dengfeng in Henan Province, central China. It is roughly 1.5 hours by road from both Zhengzhou and Luoyang, the two nearest cities, and reachable as a long day trip from Xi'an and Beijing by high-speed rail. Most visitors come as part of a guided day tour, which handles tickets, transport and timing for a kung fu show.
Getting to Shaolin Temple
From Zhengzhou. The provincial capital is about 80 km away, or 1.5 hours by car. A private tour or transfer with hotel pick-up is the simplest option; tourist buses also run from Zhengzhou's long-distance bus stations toward Dengfeng and the Shaolin Scenic Area.
From Luoyang. Luoyang is a similar distance to the west, and pairs naturally with the Longmen Grottoes, which lie just south of the city. Many Luoyang day tours combine both UNESCO sites.
From Xi'an. Take the high-speed train to Luoyang Longmen station (about 1.5 hours), then continue by car. Several tours bundle the round-trip rail tickets and the onward transfers.
From Beijing. A bullet train runs to Zhengzhou in around 2.5 hours, from where a private guide and driver can cover the temple and Longmen in a single, long day.
Tickets & Entry
The Shaolin Scenic Area entrance ticket is around CNY 80 (roughly US$11) per adult. It covers the temple grounds, the Talin Pagoda Forest, and the daily martial-arts performances at the Martial Arts Hall. Some guided tours include this fee in the price; others leave it to pay on arrival, so check each tour's inclusions before booking.
Opening Hours
The scenic area is open every day. Published hours vary by season and by source — commonly around 7:30am to 6:00pm in the peak months from spring to autumn, with earlier closing in winter. Because times and last-entry cut-offs can change, confirm the exact hours for your date before you travel, or book a guided tour that plans the timing around a kung fu show.
What to See on Site
Beyond the Mountain Gate, the temple's main axis runs through the Hall of Heavenly Kings, the Mahavira Hall and the Thousand-Buddha Hall, whose stone floor still carries the shallow pits worn by centuries of stance practice. West of the temple lies the Pagoda Forest, a field of brick-and-stone tomb pagodas for the monastery's abbots. Above it all, cable cars climb toward the Songshan ridgeline and the cave where Bodhidharma is said to have meditated. Read more on the temple and halls and history pages.
Kung Fu Shows & Accessibility
The martial-arts demonstrations at the Martial Arts Hall are free with entry and run several times a day; schedules vary, so check the times when you arrive. Parts of the scenic area are accessible, and a few tours are marked wheelchair- and stroller-friendly with accessible transport, but the Pagoda Forest paths, temple steps, cable car and Damo Cave hike are not all step-free.