China Unfiltered

These circular earthen fortresses house entire clans. You will share dinner with the family that has lived here since the Ming dynasty, then sleep in a room above the ancestral hall.

One of the world's few remaining narrow-gauge steam railways. It chugs through terraced hillsides and rape-flower fields. The coal is gone, but the train still runs — for now.

Hill-tribe traders descend from the mountains with medicinal herbs, hand-woven textiles, and silver jewelry. Your guide translates the negotiations, the jokes, and the stories behind each piece.