Yungang Grottoes: A Visitor Guide to Datong's Buddhist Caves
Plan a visit to the Yungang Grottoes near Datong. Explore its Buddhist cave art, the site layout, and how booking, hours, transport and photography rules work.
Photo: Tao Yuan / Unsplash
Contents
The Yungang Grottoes lie about 16 kilometers west of Datong, where a cliffside complex preserves one of China's great bodies of early Buddhist cave art. UNESCO counts 252 caves and 51,000 statues from the 5th and 6th centuries.[1] The site operator counts 45 principal caves and 209 subsidiary caves, so the principal-cave figure is not the total.[2]
Yungang matters for more than its scale. The Five Caves created by Tan Yao are a classical masterpiece of the first peak of Chinese Buddhist art. The grottoes show the influence of Buddhist cave art from South and Central Asia, reinterpreted with a distinctive Chinese character and local spirit, and they were cut with imperial instructions under the Northern Wei dynasty.[1]
How the grottoes are organized
The cave zone stretches about one kilometer along the cliff and divides naturally from east to west into eastern, central and western groups. The principal caves include Cave 5, the Great Buddha Cave, Cave 6, the Shakyamuni Buddha Cave, and Cave 20, the White Buddha Cave. The tallest statue stands 17 meters high and the smallest is only 2 centimeters.[2]
Rather than rushing through every numbered cave, use the visitor map and take time to look closely at the carved surfaces. Follow the route and access instructions posted on the day, since conservation controls take priority over a fixed itinerary.
Things to Do
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GetYourGuide partner offers. GoAsia may earn a commission if you book through these offers. Check whether tickets or transfers are included, and follow the attraction's official booking and admission rules.
Planning a visit from Datong
Datong is the practical base for Yungang. The grottoes lie about 16 kilometers west of the city.[2] The visitor guide lists the way in by plane, car, train and city bus, with the last stretch on city bus 3 from the Gongjiao Disi Gongsi stop.[3] Special tourist bus lines run only in holiday periods, so check what operates on your date.
Entry is by online real-name reservation for a timed slot, and tickets can be booked for dates within the next seven days, but not for the same day. Book through the "Yungang Research Institute" or "Yungang Culture and Tourism" WeChat mini-programs, or through established booking platforms such as Ctrip, Meituan and Tongcheng. Children aged six or younger, or under 1.2 meters tall, do not need a reservation.[4] The adult ticket is CNY120 from 1 April to 31 October and CNY100 from 1 November to 31 March. Students pay half price, and visitors aged 60 and over enter free with their ID.[3]
From 8 October 2026 the scenic area is open daily from 08:30 to 16:30, and entry checks stop at 16:30.[5]
Photography and conservation
Do not take photographs inside the caves, do not write on the caves or buildings, and follow the warning signs and staff directions.[3] Outside the caves, photograph only where it is permitted. If crowds force a change to the route, move through in order as staff direct.
If you want to add another attraction on the same day, check travel times first. Leave enough time at Yungang to appreciate the carved details instead of treating the caves as a brief stop between journeys.
What to check before you go
- Book your timed slot and have your ID ready.
- Arrive well before 16:30, when entry checks stop.
- Plan the bus connection from Datong and the return journey.
- Use the visitor map and follow posted cave access controls and photography rules.
Plan the wider trip with our China travel guide.
Sources and background
Numbers in the text such as [1] refer to these sources.
- [1] UNESCO World Heritage Centre: Yungang Grottoes. Retrieved October 22, 2026.
- [2] Yungang Research Institute, official site operator: Encyclopedia and cave overview. Retrieved October 22, 2026.
- [3] Yungang Research Institute, official site operator: Visitor guide. Retrieved October 22, 2026.
- [4] Datong Municipal People's Government, response from Yungang District Culture and Tourism Bureau: Yungang Grottoes reservation and purchase instructions. Retrieved October 22, 2026.
- [5] Yungang Research Institute, official site operator: Yungang scenic area opening-hours notice, 7 October 2026. Retrieved October 22, 2026.
Frequently Asked Questions
UNESCO counts 252 caves and 51,000 statues. The site operator lists 45 principal caves and 209 subsidiary caves, so 45 refers to the principal caves, not the whole site.
Cave 5, the Great Buddha Cave, Cave 6, the Shakyamuni Buddha Cave, and Cave 20, the White Buddha Cave, are principal caves. Follow the visitor map and on-site access instructions.
Reserve a timed slot online with your real name, up to seven days ahead but not for the same day. Use the "Yungang Research Institute" or "Yungang Culture and Tourism" mini-programs or an established booking platform. Children aged six or younger, or under 1.2 meters tall, need no reservation.
From 8 October 2026 the scenic area is open daily from 08:30 to 16:30, with entry checks stopping at 16:30.
No. Photography is not allowed inside the caves. Follow signs and staff instructions, and outside the caves photograph only where permitted.
The grottoes are about 16 kilometers west of Datong. From the city, city bus 3 runs directly to the scenic area, usually after a change at the Gongjiao Disi Gongsi stop.
