Longmen Grottoes suspend night tours from 1 November
Published on 11/07/2026 at 14:54 | Editorial responsibility: Rafael Müller, Editor-in-Chief AD HOC NEWSSeasonal access change
- The site operator announced the night-tour suspension for 1 November 2026.
- Daytime ticket sales now end at 4.30pm, with visitor clearance at 6pm.
- UNESCO records more than 2,300 caves and niches along the Yi River.
Longmen Grottoes (Longmen Shiku) in Luoyang, China, suspended the Night Tour Longmen programme on 1 November 2026 after the site announced a seasonal change. The decision also moved daytime visitor deadlines earlier, giving Western European travellers a different visit pattern during November and December.
Night Tour Longmen ends as winter access begins
The announcement was issued on 20 October 2026 and said the night programme would pause from 1 November, with the next reopening date to be announced. The notice attributed the change to seasonal conditions and was issued in the name of Longmen Grottoes.
The same notice changed the daytime timetable from 1 November. Ticket sales end at 4.30pm, ticket checks stop at 5pm and the site is cleared at 6pm. The official suspension notice does not give a date for the return of evening access.
Why the change matters at this World Heritage site
The suspension removes the illuminated evening format from visits after 1 November, while the daytime route remains the relevant option. This matters because the site extends across both banks of the Yi River, and its caves and niches are set into steep limestone cliffs.
UNESCO says work at the grottoes began in 493, after the Northern Wei court moved its capital to Luoyang. Its World Heritage description records more than 2,300 caves and niches, almost 110,000 Buddhist stone statues, more than 60 stupas and 2,800 inscriptions. The UNESCO heritage record says the most intensive carving took place from the end of the fifth century to the mid-eighth century.
The practical link between the 2026 change and the monument is therefore clear: a late visit can no longer extend into an illuminated evening, while daylight remains the setting for viewing the carved Buddhist art and inscriptions.
Visiting Longmen Grottoes: what travellers from Western Europe should know
- The Night Tour Longmen programme is suspended from 1 November 2026, and no new reopening date has been announced.
- From 1 November 2026, daytime ticket sales end at 4.30pm, ticket checks end at 5pm and the site is cleared at 6pm.
- The grottoes lie south of Luoyang along both sides of the Yi River in Henan, China.
- The visitor setting includes steep limestone cliffs, with more than 2,300 caves and niches recorded by UNESCO.
- Chinese is the official language and the renminbi is the national currency of China.
- Entry requirements depend on your nationality; UK travellers can check the FCDO travel advice at gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice, Irish travellers the Department of Foreign Affairs at ireland.ie.
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Frequently asked questions about Longmen Grottoes
When does Night Tour Longmen take place at Longmen Grottoes?
The programme was suspended from 1 November 2026, and the next reopening date has not been announced.
What has changed at Longmen Grottoes?
From 1 November 2026, the night programme is paused and daytime ticket sales end at 4.30pm, with clearance at 6pm.
Where is Longmen Grottoes and how do you get there?
The site is south of Luoyang beside the Yi River, in Henan, China.
