During World War II, the “Flying Tigers,” a group of American volunteer fighter pilots, flew across treacherous mountains in China to protect the Burma Road against Japanese forces. A vital military supply route, the Burma Road stretched over 700 miles (1,100 kilometers) through the thick jungles and mountains of eastern Burma and China’s Yunnan province. Over six decades on, the fighting spirit of the Flying Tigers lives on in the stories and memorials of the southwestern frontier of Yunnan.

On this journey into the past, we explore the heart of the Burma Road in Tengchong, Yunnan, just across the border from present-day Myanmar (Burma). After listening to villagers’ stories about the Flying Tigers and paying tribute at a World War II memorial, we drive along the picturesque Burma Road. At the Gaoligong Mountains—which presented extraordinary challenges to the Flying Tigers—we hike through a stunning nature reserve. We also visit the popular Old Towns of Dali and Lijiang and meet diverse ethnic minority groups, each with their own stories. This unique journey begins and ends in China’s past and present, with visits to Beijing’s historic Great Wall and Shanghai’s modern skyline.

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