Tools
Practical tools for your trip
Bilingual packing & planning checklist
⬇ Download PDF checklistDocuments
- Passport (6+ months validity)
- Chinese visa or 240-hour transit eligibility check
- Printed hotel reservation with Chinese address
- Travel insurance covering hiking
Apps & payments
- Alipay or WeChat Pay linked to international card
- DiDi ride app (English UI)
- Offline maps downloaded
- VPN configured before departure
On the mountain
- Grip shoes for wet stone paths
- Rain shell (weather turns fast)
- ¥200+ cash for small vendors
- Modest wear for temple halls
Official reservation portals
- Songshan official ticket platform ↗
Shaolin Temple, Sanhuangzhai, Academy tickets
- Museum reservation ↗
Free entry, passport registration
Transport
High-speed rail: Zhengzhou → Songshan station, 40 min. Local: taxi from ¥6 start; DiDi works in Dengfeng.
Weather
Best seasons: April–May and September–October. Mountain summit is 5–8°C colder than Dengfeng city.
Time zone
All of China uses Beijing Time (UTC+8); no daylight saving.
Payments
Alipay/WeChat Pay linked to Visa/Mastercard works almost everywhere; keep ¥200 cash as backup.
Essential phrases (EN–ZH)
| English | Chinese | Pinyin |
|---|---|---|
| Hello / Thank you | 你好 / 谢谢 | nǐ hǎo / xiè xie |
| Where is the ticket office? | 售票处在哪？ | shòupiàochù zài nǎ? |
| I have a reservation under… | 我订了…的预约 | wǒ dìngle…de yùyuē |
| Is this vegetarian? | 这是素的吗？ | zhè shì sù de ma? |
| How do I get to Shaolin Temple? | 少林寺怎么走？ | shàolín sì zěnme zǒu? |
| Please take me to this address | 请到这个地址 | qǐng dào zhège dìzhǐ |
| Do you accept foreign cards? | 能刷外币卡吗？ | néng shuā wàibì kǎ ma? |
| Where is the toilet? | 洗手间在哪？ | xǐshǒujiān zài nǎ? |