Most China tours hit the highlights and move on. This one goes further, west into the desert along the old Silk Road, where the Great Wall ends at a fortress in the sand and Buddhist caves hold a thousand years of painted history. You will spend a full day working alongside keepers at a giant panda base, stand before the Terracotta Warriors, walk the Great Wall at Mutianyu, and cross the country by high-speed rail and domestic flights. Twelve days, five cities, and a route most travelers never see. No forced shopping stops.