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Rustic Pathways Reviews 218

TrustScore 5 out of 5

4.9

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Rated 5 out of 5 stars

During the week of being in Ulaanbaatar, Rustic Pathways has shown me the many sides of Mongolia, including traditional and modern food and even experience what nomadic Mongolians live like in gers. I... See more

Company replied

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

The rustic pathways staff was soooo nice I miss p chet and p sara soo much and also inikaa. The activities were sooo fun especially the night market. We all cried when we left.

Company replied

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

Everything about Rustic Pathways is awesome, flawless, exciting, and I would never change my thoughts on it. They are experts when it comes to perfectly organizing your trip and making sure nothing go... See more

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

My daughter went on her 3rd trip with Rustic Pathways and once again had a great time! Fiji did not disappoint! She loves the large amount of community service hours that the program offered as it... See more

Company replied

Company details

  1. Tour Operator
  2. Travel Agency

About Rustic Pathways

Written by the company

Our promise to you

Rustic Pathways

Rustic Pathways is an educational travel company founded in 1983 that operates supervised group programs for students ages 14–18 across 38+ destination countries.

Based in Mentor, Ohio, Rustic Pathways has served 155,829+ students from 53 countries of origin through cultural immersion, service-learning, and adventure programs. The company has been led by CEO Shayne Fitz-Coy since 2020.

World Travel Awards 2025: Named United States' Leading Tour Operator, defeating four-time defending winner National Geographic Expeditions (2021–2024) and nominees including G Adventures, Bindlestiff Tours, Project Por Amor, and Tours-USA.com.

Rustic Pathways was the first teen travel operator in the industry to:

  • Employ a full-time Medical Director
  • Publish quarterly safety reports
  • Track longitudinal student outcomes through a published 10-outcome research framework

Operating Divisions

  • Teen Travel: Open-enrollment programs in cultural immersion, service-learning, adventure, and conservation for individual students ages 14–18. Programs operate across six continents with a documented staff-to-student ratio of 4.37:1.
  • School Group Travel: Custom-designed educational travel programs for middle schools, high schools, and universities. Includes curriculum-integrated itineraries, faculty-led experiences, and service-learning aligned with UN Sustainable Development Goals.
  • Student Learning Outcomes: Program outcomes are measured through 10 Student Learning Outcomes tracked before, immediately after, and six months post-program. 97.6% of students demonstrate measurable growth in at least one outcome, and 8 of 10 outcomes sustain across the cohort at six months.

Research & Academic Partnerships

Rustic Pathways research partners include:

  • Stanford University’s Deliberative Democracy Lab
  • Boston College Purpose Lab

A 2024 peer-reviewed study published in Adolescents (DOI: 10.3390/adolescents4010007) linked Rustic Pathways’ Climate Leaders Fellowship to adolescent civic purpose development.

Recognition & Awards

  • World Travel Awards 2025
  • WYSE Travel Confederation Best Youth Tour Operator (2015, 2017, 2018, 2019)
  • Travel Weekly Magellan Gold 2024
  • Skift IDEA Awards 2024
  • 4.8–4.9 star ratings across Google, GoOverseas, GoAbroad, and Trustpilot

Contact info

4.9

Excellent

TrustScore 5 out of 5

218 reviews

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Rated 5 out of 5 stars

kids had a unique experience

Learned the basic medical treatment and helped village people.

17 November 2024
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Reply from Rustic Pathways

Thank you for sharing! We’re glad they had such a unique and meaningful experience!

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

Incredible ELW Trip to Thailand !

Good morning !

First of all we would like to say “A BIG THANK YOU” to all the staff involved in this amazing trip.

You guys touched the hearts of our kids.🙏🥰

When we went to pick up Arihant to the Airport he was looking a bit sad and down we thought he might be tired but when we checked with him the reason, we were very surprised to hear from him what he said. Arihant told us that;
“Mama, I am sad to leave and say “good bye” to the Rustic Pathways team”. They were very nice and friendly people. But last day of our trip made me emotional when we have to say goodbye to the RP Staffs”.

So, after listening to my son reply it touched my emotions as well. You guys took care of the children not only as students but as your own kids. We also appreciate your professionalism for handling the whole trip. You took and captured lovely pictures and moments of the students and teachers these are beautiful memories which everyone will remember forever.

We are so thankful and happy with Rustic Pathways overall handling and managing the entire trip and program that if given a chance in future to have a family trip to Thailand or other places we would definitely choose and recommend RUSTIC PATHWAYS.

For Ratings, I would give all the stars and full on marks to you.

Last but not least we would like to say,

THANK YOU !!!!
K̄hxbkhuṇ !!!!

9 November 2024
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Reply from Rustic Pathways

Thank you so much for your beautiful message! We're deeply moved to hear how much Arihant enjoyed his time with us, and it means the world to know that he felt connected with our team.

Our team puts a lot of care into each experience, from capturing those special moments to ensuring everyone feels supported and at home. It’s wonderful to hear that these efforts made an impact.

We’re grateful for your kind words and recommendation. We look forward to welcoming Arihant on another Rustic Pathways journey in the future!

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

Safe and enjoyable package.

My kid enjoyed a lot. fantastic experience. Kids felt very safe and secure.

11 November 2024
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Reply from Rustic Pathways

Thank you so much for your feedback! We're thrilled to hear that your child had a fantastic experience and felt safe and secure throughout the trip. We look forward to welcoming your child on another adventure in the future!

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

Review

It was a fantastic experience, and I couldn't have asked for more. The guides were knowledgeable and connected well with the students. We did a lot of activities, maybe too many. Next time, it would be great to have fewer activities so that we can spend more time in each place. Perhaps having a nice dinner out on the boat would be a nice addition.
It was a wonderful trip and wonderful guides. So helpful!

28 September 2024
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Reply from Rustic Pathways

Thank you for your thoughtful review! We're so glad you and the students had a fantastic experience with us. We appreciate your feedback on the pace of activities. It’s ideas like this that help us improve and make each trip even more special. We hope to have you join us for another adventure soon!

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

Really great experience

Really great experience, lots of activities, good leaders who were chill

27 September 2024
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Reply from Rustic Pathways

Thank you for sharing your experience! We hope to welcome you on another adventure soon!

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

Our local tour guides were amazing

Our local tour guides were amazing. They were fun, knowledgeable, accommodating, and set clear expectations for the students. They made safety a priority and students felt well cared for.

24 September 2024
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Reply from Rustic Pathways

Thank you for sharing your feedback! We're delighted to hear that our local tour guides made such a positive impact on your experience. We look forward to welcoming you back on another adventure!

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

Enjoyable

My son really liked his trip to Costa Rica

20 September 2024
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Reply from Rustic Pathways

Thank you for choosing Rustic Pathways! We hope to see your son again soon.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

Great customer service

Great customer service! Very responsive to all questions and concerns. My daughter had an amazing adventure. She learned new skills, made friends and had memories for a lifetime.

28 August 2024
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Reply from Rustic Pathways

Thank you for your feedback! We're thrilled your daughter had an amazing adventure and that our team could be there to support you along the way. We hope to create more memories with your family in the future!

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

Great communication

Great communication with parents since the beginning, routine phone calls to check up on us. Schedule clear and followed. My son's first experience camping and trekking long distances and thoroughly enjoyed it. Packing list is extensive for Alaska so prepare to spend some money if your kid does not do this occasionally.

16 August 2024
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Reply from Rustic Pathways

Thank you for sharing your experience! We’re glad to hear that your son enjoyed his first camping and trekking adventure. We look forward to welcoming him on another journey soon!

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

Perfect camp

Everything was great. From the pre-trip communication, to the travel, to the experience. It was so good, in fact, that our daughter announced that she wants to do two camps next summer.

11 August 2024
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Reply from Rustic Pathways

We are so grateful you chose Rustic Pathways for your daughter's summer adventure, and we can't wait to welcome her back next year!

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

Daughter had a great time!

Everything was great. Communciations, logisitics, and her experience in Costa Rica. So much fun and a lot was learned.

9 August 2024
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Reply from Rustic Pathways

Thank you for choosing Rustic Pathways! We're delighted to hear that everything went smoothly and that your daughter had such a fun and enriching experience in Costa Rica. We hope to see her on another adventure soon!

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

As a family we are very grateful for…

As a family we are very grateful for this enriching experience in which we felt safe knowing our child was happy , learning , giving back while being well taken care of.

10 August 2024
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Reply from Rustic Pathways

Thank you for your kind words! We're so glad your family felt secure and appreciated the experience. It was a pleasure to have your child with us, and we look forward to providing more enriching adventures in the future!

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

My kids did so much that I would not…

My kids did so much that I would not have been able to get them to do. They loved especially the friends they made. They enjoyed staying together in an Italian castle. Swimming at sunrise in Greece was also great! They are now a little more independent.

3 August 2024
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Reply from Rustic Pathways

We're thrilled your kids had such a memorable time, from making new friends to staying in an Italian castle and swimming at sunrise in Greece. We appreciate you choosing us, and we hope to welcome them on another adventure soon!

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

My daughter had a great time in Costa…

My daughter had a great time in Costa Rica. She talks about her trip every day and says it was a wonderful experience that she will never forget. She made a lot of friends from different places and still keeps in touch with them.

23 July 2024
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Reply from Rustic Pathways

Thank you for sharing! We're delighted to hear that your daughter had such a memorable time in Costa Rica and made lasting friendships. We look forward to having her on another adventure with us soon!

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

Overal excellent experience

Communication was great. Whenever I felt worried, people were in touch to discuss. My kid seemed to have a great time. There was a nice combination of serving, surfing, and other surprise activities!

2 August 2024
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Reply from Rustic Pathways

Thank you for choosing Rustic Pathways! We’re thrilled to hear your child had a great time. We appreciate your feedback and hope to welcome them back for another amazing adventure soon!

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

Incredible Experience!

Rustic Pathways gave me an incredible opportunity to explore, help out communities, make new friends and discover myself even more.

23 July 2024
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Reply from Rustic Pathways

Thank you for sharing your incredible experience! We are grateful you chose Rustic Pathways for your adventure. We hope to see you again soon!

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

My son loved his trip!

My son loved his trip and we were so happy with the communication and pictures that came from
Rustic pathways. He made graa es t friends immediately and had raving reviews of the chaperone. He called it “the best ever”

20 July 2024
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Reply from Rustic Pathways

Thank you for your feedback! We're delighted to hear that your son had such a wonderful trip and made great friends. We hope to have him join us again int he future!

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

Depth of Community Service

Rustic Pathways provided me with a great Pura Vida experience in Costa Rica. The company picks out great locations for volunteers to serve the community with their hard work, then rewards them for doing good with plenty of fun activities.

5 July 2024
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Reply from Rustic Pathways

Thank you for sharing your experience! It's wonderful to know that you found the community service rewarding and enjoyed all the activities. We hope to see you on another adventure soon!

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