Destination:Australia, Belize, Cambodia, China, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Fiji, France, Germany, Ghana, Greece, India, Italy, Japan, Laos, Mongolia, Morocco, Peru, Portugal, Thailand, United States, Vietnam, Tanzania, Nepal, Puerto Rico, Austria, Dominican Republic, South Korea, Galapagos Islands, Croatia, Hawaii
Provided By:Independent Provider
Session Start:March, April, May, June, July, August
Session Length:One Week, Two Weeks, Four Weeks, Three Weeks
Entering Grade:6th, 7th, 8th, 9th, 10th, 11th, 12th, College
Gender:Coed
Category:Travel/Cultural Immersion
Sub-Categories:Marine Biology, Community Service, Spanish, Animals/Nature, Surfing, Hiking, Whitewater Rafting, Leadership, Preserving the Environment, Youth Outreach, Career Exploration, Wildlife Conservation
Embark on an adventure with Rustic Pathways and experience the thrill of discovering new places, cultures, and passions! Dive into unforgettable journeys filled with excitement, connection, and fun. Whether viewing breathtaking views, exploring vibrant cities, or bonding with locals, every moment is packed with opportunities to learn about yourself and the world in ways you never imagined. Let us guide you on the trip of a lifetime and help you discover your passions!
Rustic Pathways is a premier student travel company specializing in educational, cultural, and adventure travel for teens worldwide. Founded in 1983, Rustic Pathways helps students build real-world skills and discover a deeper sense of purpose.
What Rustic Pathways Does
Rustic Pathways offers student travel programs that foster personal growth, leadership, and social impact. Our transformative experiences help students develop a deeper understanding of the world and themselves through:
Student Travel Programs – Adventure, service, and cultural immersion trips for middle school, high school, and college students.
Teen Tours – International travel experiences focused on learning and personal growth.
School Group Travel – Custom-designed educational trips for schools and teachers.
Gap Year Programs – Quarter, semester, or year-long structured travel experiences for recent graduates.
Critical Issues Programs – In-depth explorations of global challenges like sustainability, conservation, and human rights.
Emerging Leader Fellowships (ELF) – Leadership training for young changemakers, culminating in live summits and real-world impact projects.Our Impact
Rustic Pathways goes beyond teen travel by creating lasting change in the communities we visit.
1.2 million+ service hours contributed annually to global initiatives.
$800,000+ raised through the Rustic Pathways Foundation for local projects and scholarships.
Long-term community partnerships ensure sustainable development and ethical tourism.
Wildlife and environmental conservation efforts span multiple continents.
Safety & Expertise You Can Trust
Student safety is our top priority. Led by Medical Director Dr. Will Smith, we implement industry-leading safety protocols, including:
Pre-travel risk assessments to identify and mitigate potential hazards.
Annual staff safety certifications ensure team preparedness.
24/7 on-the-ground support in every destination.
Adherence to international health guidelines for global safety standards.
Comprehensive insurance coverage for peace of mind.
Rustic Pathways History
Founded in Australia in 1983, Rustic Pathways began with students exploring the Australian Outback, learning by doing, and immersing in Indigenous cultures.
40+ years of evolution into a global leader in student travel.
Adventure-driven spirit and commitment to community impact remain core values.
Operating in 20+ countries, leading experiential education worldwide.
Inspiring the next generation of global leaders through immersive experiences.
Parents – Choose safe and enriching programs for your child.
Reviews For Rustic Pathways – Travel and Learn (6)
Costa Rica Leadership
Reviewed
on Jul/12/2017
I was part of the Costa Rica Leadership program and there was nothing more heart felt from the realationships you make with not only the young Tico students, but also with your teammates, and leaders.
Going into this program I didn't make my plane. Rustic Pathways was very accommodating and helped me through the process of getting to Costa Rica. When I finally arrived they treated me to a wonderful day at a beautiful waterfall while my team was white water rafting.
During the first week we started to build a strong team relationships. We went through a process of how to work with others and discussed what culture means to us. We planned the camp for the Tico students. This trip also included many unforgettable adventures.
Children's home and elephant sanctuary
Reviewed
on Jul/09/2017
I did children's home and elephant sanctuary this summer and miss it so much! I loved my group everyone was so fun and we all just became best friends, wich is what made the trip so amazing. The itinerary and actual activities were really cool and the days were jam packed, wich is good, but they left no free time to do things like shower, hang out, or journal. There was a lot of travelling, it took 52 hours of travelling to get there and during the trip, there would often be long car rides 1-6 hours. Becuase of this I felt like the trip was far shorter than what we paid for. The counsellors were not the best, I liked one of them, but the rest were all negative and not fun. Rustic did do a great job of teaching and showing the true culture of all areas of Thailand that we were in. Also, the service was pretty rewarding, we did 2 days of teaching and 2 days of construction at a school. I would definitely recommend and I will be going on another trip next year. Also if you're not so outgoing I recommend going with a friend.
Ultimate Latin America
Reviewed
on Jul/07/2017
This trip showed the variety of all the different countries in culture, food, experiences, and wildlife. The experiences that I got on this trip were once in a lifetime. Going to Peru, Costa Rica, the Dominican Republic, and Cuba in 3 weeks was hectic but worth it 100%.
Marine Life and Coastal Restoration
Reviewed
on Jul/06/2017
I had an incredible experience. The food was amazing and the memories will last forever. The service was great although sometimes not what I had expected. The accommodations were sometimes faulty (leaking AC or lack of water in the bathroom), but that didn't impact my experience all that much overall.
Turtle Conservation Project
Reviewed
on Jul/06/2017
I had a great time on my trip in Costa Rica. It was 9 days and we did a lot of physical labor for 2 hours in the morning and afternoon along with night walks on the beach to search for turtles. Although I don't take Spanish, I was able to communicate with basic greetings with the locals. I had wish that the program emphasized the amount of effort the night walks were because they were for about 3 hours each night and were exhausting. Also, we had a lot of free time which would have been better to do more group activities than we did. Overall, my trip was amazing and I made a bunch of great new friends
Costa Rica Sarapiqui Service
Reviewed
on Jul/06/2017
I had an amazing time on this trip. Although the accomadations were a little tough, lots of bugs and animals, and wifi broke down, I got to know the culture and people on my trip better and I also learned a lot of spanish. The service work load was a lot, yet it was very rewarding and I am pleased with my groups' work. I wish the program told us before had that the work load was a lot of manual labor, yet I had the best time and made so many new friendships.
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I was part of the Costa Rica Leadership program and there was nothing more heart felt from the realationships you make with not only the young Tico students, but also with your teammates, and leaders.
Going into this program I didn't make my plane. Rustic Pathways was very accommodating and helped me through the process of getting to Costa Rica. When I finally arrived they treated me to a wonderful day at a beautiful waterfall while my team was white water rafting.
During the first week we started to build a strong team relationships. We went through a process of how to work with others and discussed what culture means to us. We planned the camp for the Tico students. This trip also included many unforgettable adventures.