As an important city and capital of Henan province, Zhengzhou has steeped in history and modern conveniences alike. Efforts of tree planting around the urban area have earned the city the moniker of the ‘Green City’, making this a refreshing place to visit and a great place to immerse yourself in Henan culture and history.
Tours and activities in Zhengzhou
Visiting Zhengzhou can be a stressful experience for non-mandarin speakers, with many visitors finding they waste a lot of their time simply trying to get around and buy tickets for attractions. Our local tour guides can help, with an expert booking service ensuring you get where you want when you want.
Tour guides can be invaluable when visiting museums, galleries, and exhibitions, as there are rarely any signs in English to explain what’s being seen. With an expert local guide from Zhengzhou by your side, history will be brought to life, giving you a deeper, more cultural experience than you could have imagined.
Whether you need a guide for an hour or a few days, we can help. See our selection of packages below, or get in touch for more help and advice on arranging a tour in Zhengzhou.
Best time to visit
Zhengzhou is at its best in summer and autumn, particularly from July through to October. These months have high rainfall, but this means you’ll get to see the most spectacular aspects of the Yellow River. Spring can be nice in terms of temperature, but also tends to bring high winds. Winter is very cold.
Top Attractions in Zhengzhou
Zhengzhou has so many fun spots for kids and families so its a blooming place for family enjoyment. The city also offers blasts from the past by showcasing centuries-old history through museums and archeological remains. The mountains add scenic beauty to the destination. It is not just a city but a complete package for travelers gratification.
Don’t miss the Henan Provincial Museum, a pyramid-shaped building housing artifacts, and information from the ancient civilizations who lived in this area. There are some English signs to help you uncover the history and a half decent audio guide in English too.
The Shang Dynasty Ruins are a must-see attraction in the city, where you can see the remains of the old town wall dating back to 2,000 B.C. The site hosts the famous Shangcheng Bonsai Garden, with some of China’s most adorable miniature trees.
If you love the great outdoors, the Yellow River Scenic Area is a great place to spend some time. Consisting of five scenic spots; Camel Mountain, Yueshan Temple, Five Dragons Peak, Stone Figures, and an ancient city, this area is around 90 minutes from the city center by bus and is a beautiful place to spend some time.
Song Mountain, one of the five sacred mountains in Taoism, is an easy day trip from Zhengzhou. Here you’ll find the Shaolin Temple, considered to be the birthplace of Zen Buddhism, as well as numerous options for hiking, mountaineering, adventure, and recreation.
Top of the list for most children is the Zhengzhou Zoo, housing all manner of birds and beasts amongst landscaped gardens. Surprisingly, information is pretty well given in both Chinese and English, and kids will enjoy the small rollercoaster, amusement park and cable car ride across the park.
If your kids like rides, Century Park is just 30 minutes from Erqi Square and has a great selection of kid friendly rides.
Away from these modern facilities, you’ll find plenty of more traditional, interesting shops. Look out for lacquerware, made from Chinese parasols, as well as Miyu jade objects which are a local specialty.
Junk shops housing numerous antiques, replicas, and tourist tat can be found all over the city, but be careful with what you buy as you aren’t allowed to leave with any objects more than 200 years old.
Getting here and getting around
The Zhengzhou airport is around 30-km outside the town center and is easy to get to and from with a regular shuttle bus. Taxis will cost around ¥140 from the terminal to the city center.
Many visitors arrive in Zhengzhou via train, and today the city is China’s largest train hub. Connections to Beijing, Shanghai, and Xi’an are daily, with the option of either high speed or standard train services. A long-distance bus station is located next to the train station, which travels more slowly than the train but is cheaper and less crowded.
Zhengzhou is a fairly spread out city, but you can get pretty much anywhere for just ¥1 per ride. A modern, clean metro line serves the city from east to west, and more lines are under construction for the future. Taxis are readily available too but agree on a price first as drivers have been known to cheat foreigners.
Eating and drinking
Being centrally located in China, Zhengzhou brings together the best all of all the regional cuisines and delicacies. The city boasts restaurants of all manner of food, including international options if you so desire.
Some of the more traditional local dishes include Liyu Sanchi, a fish dish using a special type of carp from the Yellow River called a Cyprinoid. It’s steeped in fresh water for three days to remove the earthy taste, and then cooked three ways to produce a fried fish, a sweet and sour dish and a hearty soup.
Other authentic Yu dishes include Tong Zi Ji (a chicken dish) and Si Tao Bao (four types of bird). Henan Restaurant is one of the best places to find real quality Yu cooking, but it’s often full so do book ahead. A Wu Mei Shi is just as good and tends not to fill up so frequently.
Bars are commonplace throughout the city, but the very best place to enjoy a beer is on the tree-lined Weiyi Road. Look for Target Pub and the Beer Factory as a good place to start. For beer aficionados, Master Gao’s Microbrewery produces five unique beers, all of which are actually very delicious, and are crafted from Tibetan grains.
Getting a good night's sleep
For the ultimate in luxurious accommodation, Zhengzhou boasts all the big-name brands including Sofitel, Marriott, Le Meridien, Sheraton, Hilton and Crowne Plaza. If you prefer a non-chain hotel, look to the Yuda Palace or the Zhengzhou Wanda Wenhua for a more local vibe.
Budget travelers will find plenty of choices too and should consider staying at the Royal Palace International Hostel. Accommodation is indiscreet pods, it’s very modern and there is free Wi-Fi throughout. For a middle of the road option, try one of the two Jinjiang Inns in the city, or the Holiday Inn Express for western home comforts.
