Some 4,500 miles long, China’s Great Wall is one of humanity’s most spectacular monuments. We travel farther from Beijing than most visitors to explore the wall in the comparatively remote and tranquil countryside. We’ll use this ancient super highway by walking along its ramparts from one remote village to another, where farmers live with the massive structure right in their backyards.

In China, ancient history and natural beauty are constantly juxtaposed with modern development. Expect to see dozens of construction cranes in a sea of new high-rises while you stroll on an ancient wall in a 1,000-year-old village. As we delve into China’s astonishing past and view its unprecedented modern growth, you can’t help being amazed by where the country has come from and where it’s headed.

Your first eyeful of Qin Shi Huang’s terracotta army promises to be an experience that surpasses expectations. The immensity of the mausoleum complex and the sheer number of clay figures is staggering: some 7,000 individually embellished soldiers stand frozen in time, surrounded by servants, musicians, acrobats, horses and chariots. After our visit, in stark contrast to the iconic warriors - yet representative of an ancient way of life - join our local friends for tea at their nearby farmhouse.

Marco Polo declared Hangzhou "the finest and noblest city in the world." Its jewel is Xi Hu (West Lake), whose peaceful waters and the pagoda-lined shore resemble a classic Chinese painting. Not only do we step into this painting, we become central characters when we join a local family in making Longjing tea, once reserved for the Imperial Court.

With its cobblestone alleys, gurgling canals and picturesque traditional architecture, old town Lijiang cries out “Explore me!” Here, in the shadow of Jade Dragon Mountain, cultures collide: let us introduce you to the Naxi people, whose ancient heritage thrives amid the modern development of the Han Chinese majority.

Perched at 11,000 feet among snowy peaks, lush forests and alpine lakes, peaceful Gyalthang is comparatively free of the development seen in Lhasa. Though geographically in China’s Yunnan Province, Gyalthang is ethnically Tibetan. Learn about today’s issues by visiting Buddhist monasteries and sharing yak butter tea with a local family.