Top Ten China Off-the-Beaten-Path Adventures

Witness wildlife preservation at its best. Head 85 miles beyond Sichuan's capital of Chengdu to the Wolong Nature Reserve, a 770-square mile tract of forest that is the last remaining home of China's Giant Panda. China's Giant Panda population has declined to below 1,000, but the Hetaoping breeding station—home to two species of bamboo favored by pandas—hopes to reverse the trend. Lying on the banks of the fast-flowing Pitiao River, Wolong is the only place in the world where it's possible to walk freely among pandas. Your search will take you wandering through river gullies, fields of rhododendrons and birch, maple, and fir forests where protected pandas roam freely.

Bring sturdy hiking boots and a telephoto lens. You can hire a guide at the park entrance to guide you to the big guys.