Welcome to Zhengzhou, the capital of China's central plains – Henan province! On arrival, be picked up from the airport or the railway station and transferred to your downtown hotel for settlement.

Drive about three hours to Guoliang Village, a hamlet hidden deep in the Taihang Mountains. Arrive at the parking lot at the mountain foot and change to a scenic bus driven by a skilled veteran, traveling through the second of the top 10 dangerous roads of the world - a hanging tunnel carved by local villagers in the 1970s and enjoying the unparalleled beauty rewarded by its isolated and dangerous locations.

Afterward, continue with a three-hour journey to Anyang for the night.

For any archaeologist or history buff, Anyang is a place not to be missed. In 1899 Yinxu, the ruins of the last capital of the Shang Dynasty – the first dynasty with written records in Chinese history, were discovered here. With its excavation, oracle bone inscriptions were confirmed to be the earliest Chinese writing.

Today, in Anyang, you will browse the myriads of relics in Yinxu Museum to trace the origins of Chinese civilization and visit the National Museum of Chinese Writing for a glimpse into the evolution history of Chinese characters. If time permits, visit Yuefei Temple, dedicated to Yufei, known for his loyalty to the country in Chinese literature and history.

Our destination today is Kaifeng, another one of the Eight Ancient Capitals of China which braced its height between the 11^th and 12^th century AD as the most prosperous cities in the world. On the way, we will have a stop at Youli Castle Ruins, the location of the first prison in Chinese history and the place where I Ching, the most revered divination classic of Chinese Daoism, was created.

Arrival in about three hours, check out the Dragon Pavilion, the ancient city wall, and the Iron Pagoda of Kaifeng. In the evening, step into the Millennium City Park – the thousand years ago metropolis in a smaller size – to capture the daily and urban landscape depicted by Qingming Shanghe Tu, the most admired works in Chinese painting history.

Spend some time in the morning strolling around the historical campus of Henan University, one of the earliest public universities in China, for a glimpse into the study life of contemporary students.

Then, continue with a 1.5-hour return to Zhengzhou, where you will visit the national Henan Museum, speedreading vicissitudes on the central land of China while skimping over its prehistoric artifacts, ancient bronzes, ceramics, and the tremendous amount of other relics.

About 70km southwest of Zhengzhou, in the hinterland of Mount Song, locate the Legendary Shaolin Temple – the birthplace of Zen Buddhism and the cradle of Chinese Kung Fu. Focus the day here, exploring the majestic temples and halls and the Pagoda Forest, enjoying a Kung Fu performance, and visiting the Songyang Academy, one of the four most celebrated institutions of higher learning in ancient China.

After the tour, proceed with a 1.5-hour drive to Luoyang for the night.

Over 1,500 years among the 5000 years of Chinese civilization history, Luoyang served as the power seat of small kingdoms or great empires and reached its glory peak around the 8^th century when the excavation of Longmen Grottoes we are going to visit today also reached its height. Take time here to read the exquisite expressions of various Buddhist statues (do not miss the gracious statue of Vairocana) and listen to your guide explaining the stories behind them.

For the rest of the day, visit the Luoyang Museum and then roam the old city of Luoyang, sampling some local snacks or searching for some souvenirs.

Time for farewell. Meet your guide at the appointed time and embark on a new journey.