Backroads

Some 4,500 miles long, China's Great Wall is one of humanity's most spectacular monuments. Traveling farther from Beijing than most visitors, we view the wall in comparatively remote and tranquil countryside, and use it in the early Chinese fashion - as a walkway (though rarely a level one) from one village to another.

In China, ancient history and natural beauty are constantly juxtaposed with dynamic modern development. You may see dozens of construction cranes in a sea of high-rises, while standing on an ancient wall above a thousand-year-old neighborhood. Our Insider Trip explores both sides of China's story: where it's come from and where it's headed.

It's hard to overstate the impact of seeing Qin Shi Huang's terra-cotta army for the first time. The immensity of the mausoleum complex and the sheer number of clay figures is astounding: some 7,000 soldiers, each in full battle array, with unique features, clothing and emblems of rank, plus horses and chariots. We combine these ancient icons with a visit to a nearby village whose residents live as they have for centuries, and where friends welcome us into their home for tea.

Marco Polo declared Hangzhou  "the finest and noblest city in the world." Its jewel is Xi Hu (or "West Lake"), whose peaceful waters and pagoda-lined shore will make you feel as if you've stepped into a classic Chinese painting. At a lakeside plantation, you can sample the best Longjing tea, once reserved exclusively for members of the Imperial Court.

With its quaint streets and tourist shops, historic Lijiang can appear too postcard-perfect. But let us take you down the back alleys of this fascinating city in the Himalyan foothills, where Rock, our Tibetan guide, gives you a much deeper understanding of ancient and modern cultures - including the friendly Naxi people, descendants of Tibetan nomads who live in matriarchal families.

Perched at 11,000 feet among snowy peaks, lush forests and alpine lakes, Gyalthang is a haven of peace, comparatively free of the massive development that plagues Lhasa. Buddhist temples dot the landscape, while red deer, civets and rare snub-nose monkeys roam the hills. Add in constant bird song and strains of folk music, and you have a magical valley that seems outside of time.