
Rustic Pathways
Why choose Rustic Pathways?
Since 1983, Rustic Pathways has empowered positive change, fostering impactful friendships and unforgettable travel experiences for teens aged 12-22. Join animal lovers, environmental activists, and explorers on adventures designed to ignite your passions, grow in confidence, and foster global awareness. There is a Rustic Pathways experience for every kind of student. In addition to high school...
Since 1983, Rustic Pathways has empowered positive change, fostering impactful friendships and unforgettable travel experiences for teens aged 12-22. Join animal lovers, environmental activists, and explorers on adventures designed to ignite your passions, grow in confidence, and foster global awareness. There is a Rustic Pathways experience for every kind of student. In addition to high school summer experiences, Rustic Pathways offers spring break, college, and Young Explorer programs for those travelers not yet in high school. We offer diverse programs catering to different aspirations, from first-time travel experiences to deep immersion and service-oriented initiatives geared toward future changemakers. We offer programs in over 20 different countries across the United States, C...
Rustic Pathways Reviews
Hear what past participants have to say about the programs
Overall Rating
Total Reviews
Best trip every!!!
by: Alexys Burt - United StatesProgram: Thailand Adventures and Service with Rustic PathwaysGoing to Thailand was an amazing life changing experience! I met so many amazing people and had so much amazing food!! If I had to option to go back I’d go back any day, and over all my favorite thing was bathing the elephants!!’

Hey Alexys! We're so happy to hear you had an amazing time. We love that you had a life-changing experience in Thailand and that you got to see more of the world. Thai food is the YUMMIEST! We hope we see you on another adventure soon!
Rustic Pathways- Read this if you’re a parent!
by: Amanda Osborn - United StatesProgram: Italy Adventure and Travel with Rustic PathwaysMy daughter wanted to travel the world, and I can’t thank Rustic Pathways enough for helping us make this possible! From the very first interactions, to the end, Rustic and their team were amazing to work with, while always communicating and keeping us informed every step of the way! My daughter stayed in a castle during her trip to Italy, made homemade pasta, went to lake Garda and volunteered by assisting with town cleanup!

Hi Amanda! We're so happy to hear that your daughter had an amazing time in Italy! And we're thrilled that our team made the process easy for you and your family. Thank you for placing your trust in us! We hope your daughter gets to see more of the world (with us) and beyond!
Connecting with the locals and helping the villages and women's shelter
by: JulieProgram: Fiji: Sun, Sand, and Island Service with Rustic PathwaysI loved the service activities we did and learning about the fijian people, community and language. Connecting with the locals and helping the villages and womens shelter was one of my favorite parts

Hi Julie! Thanks so much for traveling with us. The community in Fiji is wonderful! Thank you for everything you contributed to the villages there and the women's shelter. We hope you travel with us soon.
Rustic Pathways Programs
Browse programs you might like

Play games with Asian elephants, snorkel in crystal blue waters, and immerse yourself in village life as you explore a country known for its warm...

Costa Rica is where adventure, service, cultural immersion, and the wonders of nature intersect. Our programs focus on turtle conservation, surfi...


Bring sunblock as you take on the diverse beauty of the Dominican Republic! Participate in impactful service projects that will positively change...

Protect endangered sea turtles while basking in the sun on the beautiful Greek island of Kefalonia. Get an in-depth look at conservation efforts,...

Explore ancient castles, Buddhist temples, and modern trends as you learn about Japanese culture during this unforgettable journey through Tokyo ...

Embark on an adventurous journey across Mongolia, from the central lowlands to the rugged west, immersing yourself in an ancient nomadic way of l...
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Interviews
Read interviews from alumni or staff

Brent Watkins
Interviewed in 2015
Brent holds a Masters in Education from Johns Hopkins University, where he is also an adjunct faculty member. Prior to joining Rustic Pathways, Brent ...

Brent Watkins
Interviewed in 2015
What inspired you to travel abroad?
Prior to joining Rustic Pathways, I spent time as a classroom teacher in a struggling school in east Baltimore and later went on to manage a team of people who trained new teachers at Teach For America, a national education reform non-profit. In this work, I saw how powerful learning that happened outside of the classroom could be. I spent several summers leading programs for Rustic Pathways and was sold on how these experiences could change students’ enduring mindsets -- I was hooked!

Rebecca Glazer
Participated in 2014
Rebecca traveled to Nasivikoso Village in Fiji with Rustic Pathways three times during her years in high school, participating in the Village Educatio...

Rebecca Glazer
Participated in 2014
I’ve always been drawn to small groups of people and tight-knit communities, so when I heard about the programs in Nasivikoso, they sounded like the kind of atmosphere I would enjoy. I am also very interested in education and agriculture, and Nasivikoso offered programs addressing both. Mostly, though, I was drawn to the idea of living in a rural community with a host family, rather than staying out at a base house, like some of the other programs.

Ezra Remer
Participated in 2014
Ezra is a high schooler from New Orleans, who has volunteered in Fiji with Rustic Pathways three times. He volunteered for the first time when he was ...
Articles

Awards
Check out awards and recognitions Rustic Pathways has received






