"Not only were the other students amazing, the staff really tried to get to know us, and didn't treat us like children. The young Thai children areso cuteand its hard not to love them. It is thebest thing ever, I've told everyone who's asked what I did over the summer that they should to to Thailand, or send their kids."
Erin Ryan
--- Armonk, NY
Thailand is one of the world’s most welcoming and friendly destinations, drawing more international visitors than any other country in Southeast Asia. Its population is 95% Buddhist, which influences every aspect of daily life. Children respectfully wai in greeting you, and everyone welcomes visitors with sincere, heartfelt smiles.
From it’s jagged, misty peaks to it’s jutting limestone islands, Thailand is a land of natural wonders. Rich rainforests and cascading waterfalls are home to swooping gibbons and wild elephants. Saffron-robed monks mindfully make their way down quiet streets in the days’ early light, collecting morning alms. A humble rice farmer catches an afternoon snooze in the cool shade of a bamboo hut, while water buffaloes wade in the river beyond. High in the mountains Hill Tribe women sit in a stilted house, weaving and stitching intricate crafts, while a cool mountain breeze tickles the leaves of a teak tree. Welcome to the Land of Smiles!
Rustic Pathways Thailand Operations
Rustic Pathways is the largest student program operator in Thailand. Our operations stretch from the limestone islands of the Andaman Sea, to the tranquil rice fields and silk villages of the Northeast, to Thailand’s magnificent, mountainous Hill Tribe Region. Our administrative headquarters are nestled alongside the mountains outside Chiang Mai, with offices, staff quarters, guesthouses, a training school, and an internet café. David Venning – Rustic Pathways Chairman and Thailand’s resident summer director – also has a home here. Our legendary Ricefields Community Service Base in peaceful Northeastern Thailand is comprised of living quarters, classrooms, and features two beautiful eight-bedroom houses largely built from recycled teak. The Ricefields Base has a large swimming pool, organic vegetable, herb, and flower gardens, a gym, a traditional Thai-style sala, and a meditation garden. Rustic Pathways also has two satellite offices and guesthouses in Thailand’s Hill Tribe Region, and has just opened a new year round base in Chiang Rai. The entire organization is linked by a modern communications system.
Our Thai Team - A Cornucopia of Riches
Our Thai staff members form the backbone of our operations and our success. Students absolutely love the Thai leaders who work alongside our American counselors and make our programs wonderfully enriching and truly special. Most Thai employees have participated in extended training programs in either the USA or Australia, and all of them attend on-going classes in English, First Aid, Thai History, and Tourism when they are not working with students. We are extremely proud of the rich and caring Thai team that works for us across the country.
Amazing, Life-Changing Programs
Operating year round, we have a great depth of knowledge and a very strong infrastructure in Thailand, resulting in astonishing opportunities for our students and our guests. Our employees and their extended families ensure access to special places, people, and activities that are not generally accessible to visitors. When you travel with Rustic Pathways here, you are welcomed as part of our family and treated as an honored guest. We invite you to join us in Amazing Thailand and explore the wonders of Southeast Asia with us. If you have any questions about our Thailand programs, please contact our Thai Team at thailand@rusticpathways.com.
single grains of rice form a stalk moving in the breeze
five buffaloes graze next to a string of huts
a group of monks quietly returns home to their temple
incense burns and the fragrance wafts over The Buddha’s image
children play taklore and watch the sun set
cooking fires die off slowly
sticky rice and fresh grilled chicken topped off with papaya salad
make taste buds water and brings the whole family home for dinner
everyone laughs and eats and laughs and sleeps
and the air smells sweet like fresh cut rice
this is one of the world’s kindest places
this is one of the world’s special places
Amazing Thailand
Tribal Trekking
and Service Trek, raft, and ride elephants through
remote jungles, stopping to lend a hand
in local villages in northern Thailand
INTRODUCTION TO COMMUNITY SERVICE
COMMUNITY SERVICE
10 Days from
$ 995
Available Every Week
Ages : 14 and up,
Earn up to 40 Community Service Hours
Live in one of the world's kindest, most welcoming rice farming villages at our legendary Ricefields Base. Teach English at a local school, work in a rice field, learn from Buddhist monks, and spend time in a traditional Thai village. Open your heart and expand your horizons on this extremely popular introduction to community service. more »
THE ART OF MUAY THAI
LIFE SKILLS
10 to 59 Days from Starting at
$ 995
9 Departure Dates available
Ages : 14 and up,
This unique opportunity suits both male and female students who are interested in learning practical self-defense techniques, improving their overall fitness level, or building a skill set in the amazing art of Muay Thai. Train one-on-one with world champions at a pace designed to suit your individual goals and interests. Muay Thai is an artform, a training method, a mental discipline, and a confidence building sport. more »
THE HILLTRIBE ORPHANAGE PROJECT
COMMUNITY SERVICE
10 Days from
$ 995
10 Departure Dates available
Ages : 14 and up,
Earn up to 40 Community Service Hours every week
At this new orphanage home, help provide these 12-16 year old boys with the life skills and a solid education that will allow them to be strong candidates in the global workforce. Help them with their homework and tutor them in their on-going English lessons, and get your hands in the dirt working on an organic garden that provides the fruits and vegetables for sustainable living. Spend free time taking groups of students on enriching field trips to nearby historical sites, and along the way join some adventurous excursions like kayaking or trekking through the teak jungles.more »
THE THAI ELEPHANT CONSERVATION PROJECT
COMMUNITY SERVICE
10 Days from
$1,295
Available Every Week
Ages : 14 and up,
Live and work with elephants at Thailand's famous Royal Elephant Reserve. Learn to ride, guide, drive, bathe and feed elephants. Includes formal classes, hands-on training, and one night camping with your elephant in the jungle. Spend rewarding time with mahouts, trainers, elephants, and Rustic Pathways staff. This very popular trip is 100% unique - a once in a lifetime adventure! more »
THE AMAZING THAILAND ADVENTURE
TOURING+ADVENTURE
10 Days from
$1,295
9 Departure Dates available
Ages : 14 and up,
Starting at the King's Palace in Bangkok and ending in the Northern Hill Tribe regions, you will tour a jungle by longtail boat, ride an elephant, learn to cook Thai food, meet monks, see Muay Thai, shop in very cool local markets, eat exotic meals, and enjoy our famous tuk-tuk treasure hunt. The very best of amazing Thailand! more »
CHIANG MAI WOKS & WONDERS
LIFE SKILLS
10 Days from
$1,295
4 Departure Dates available
Ages : 14 and up,
Based in the captivating city of Chiang Mai, Woks & Wonders will get you beneath the surface to explore the wondrous knowledge that this place has to offer. Discover the wonderful world of Thai cuisine and return home well-versed in the many realms of Thai food and with the skills to make your favorite dishes. Chat with revered monks at ancient temples, explore beautiful Chiang Dao, and relax in the area’s most livable cities.more »
CHIANG MAI WOKS & WONDERS FOR PARENTS & FAMILIES
LIFE SKILLS
10 Days from
$1,495
4 Departure Dates available
Ages : 14 and up,
We’re proud to offer this unique program for parents who’d like to join their children on their summertime adventure – Chiang Mai Woks & Wonders. Four of the 8 sessions of this exciting new program will be open to parents and families who’d like to come along for this unique voyage into the best of northern Thailand. Come learn the secrets of delicious Thai cooking, explore ancient temples, learn about yoga and meditation, and get acquainted with the charming northern city of Chiang Maimore »
RICEFIELDS, MONKS & SMILING CHILDREN
COMMUNITY SERVICE IN THAILAND
COMMUNITY SERVICE
17 to 70 Days from Starting at
$1,895
10 Departure Dates available
Ages : 14 and up,
Earn up to 40 Community Service Hours every week
Immerse yourself in the gentle Thai rice farming culture. Visit the mighty Mekong River, learn Thai cooking, weave beautiful silk, master the basics of buffalo care, and teach in the local schools. Create lasting friendships with some of the world's kindest people. This very popular program is run from our beautiful Ricefields Base. more »
SOCCER & SERVICE IN THAILAND
COMMUNITY SERVICE LIFE SKILLS
17 Days from
$2,195
1 Departure Date available
Ages : 14 and up,
Earn up to 65 Community Service Hours
Play soccer with local villagers. and elephants! Explore the wonders of Thailand, and perform rewarding service in four spectacular regions of The Land of Smiles. Combine your passion for soccer with meaningful service on this fun and rewarding sport-based service adventure. The elephants are suited up and waiting, so grab your cleats and join us! more »
TRIBAL TREKKING AND SERVICE
COMMUNITY SERVICE TOURING+ADVENTURE
17 Days from
$2,195
3 Departure Dates available
Ages : 14 and up,
Throw on your pack, get off the beaten path, and discover a world visited by few other tourists. Join us and enter the ancient cultures and misty mountains of the Lanna Kingdom. Hike along paths used by hunter-gatherers for hundreds of years, listen for Gibbon calls and search out hidden waterfalls. more »
SEA GYPSY SERVICE
COMMUNITY SERVICE
17 Days from
$2,195
2 Departure Dates available
Ages : 16 and up,
Join us on this exciting two-week Andaman Coast adventure that will acquaint you with one of the most fascinating cultures in the world. The stunning beaches, the warm-hearted Sea Gypsy people of the south, and the unique service initiatives make this a truly amazing opportunity. Students should expect to work hard on service initiatives every day, make unique connections with local people, and see some stunning places seldom seen by tourists. more »
DREAMING IN COLOR
LIFE SKILLS
17 Days from
$2,195
1 Departure Dates available
Ages : 14 and up,
No previous art experience is required to join this amazing two-week journey. Simply bring your imagination, a sense of adventure, and the desire to make art. We'll visit some of the most incredible places in Thailand with sketchbooks in hand and spend time every day creating art. We'll also be documenting the work that we produce with slides to prepare for art school application requirements. more »
ELEPHANTS AND AMAZING THAILAND
TOURING+ADVENTURE COMMUNITY SERVICE
17 Days from
$2,495
9 Departure Dates available
Ages : 14 and up,
Earn up to 36 Community Service Hours
This amazing adventure includes six days at the Royal Thai Elephant Reserve learning to ride, bathe, feed and care for rescued elephants. Visit the temples, palaces and waterways of Bangkok by longtail boat. Trek through remote Hill Tribe and longneck villages. A life changing adventure combining service and exciting touring.more »
A KINGDOM IN FOCUS
LIFE SKILLS
17 Days from
$2,695
2 Departure Dates available
Ages : 14 and up,
This exciting program combines enriching travel through Thailand with daily instruction on the principles of photography and hands-on fieldwork with your camera. The adventure visits some of Thailand's most spectacular sights, gets close to the wonderful people who live here, and wraps fun and practical instruction into an incredible life-changing adventure. Grab your camera and let's go! more »
FRONTIER PHOTOGRAPHY
ADVANCED WORKSHOP IN THAILAND & LAOS
LIFE SKILLS
17 Days from
$2,695
1 Departure Date available
Ages : 16 and up,
From the lush hilltribe regions of northwestern Thailand to the arid plains of central Laos a, Frontier Photography is a workshop that will give you the eye to document the world around you. For experienced and passionate photographers, this new adventure to the bucolic corners of Thailand and Laos will act as your educational setting.more »
OFF THE MAP
THAILAND & LAOS:
CHAIRMAN'S PROGRAM
LIFE SKILLS
17 Days from
$2,995
1 Departure Date available
Ages : 16 and up,
This is a program for photographers with an adventurous spirit and an interest in exploring and taking photographs in villages far off the beaten track. Designed specifically for returning students and graduating seniors and guided by the chairman and founder of Rustic Pathways, 'Off The Map' is a special adventure that will take you to very Rustic Pathways. more »
From it’s jagged, misty peaks to it’s jutting limestone islands, Thailand is a land of natural wonders. Rich rainforests and cascading waterfalls are home to swooping gibbons and wild elephants. Saffron-robed monks mindfully make their way down quiet streets in the days’ early light, collecting morning alms. A humble rice farmer catches an afternoon snooze in the cool shade of a bamboo hut, while water buffaloes wade in the river beyond. High in the mountains Hill Tribe women sit in a stilted house, weaving and stitching intricate crafts, while a cool mountain breeze tickles the leaves of a teak tree. Welcome to the Land of Smiles! 
Our administrative headquarters are nestled alongside the mountains outside Chiang Mai, with offices, staff quarters, guesthouses, a training school, and an internet café. David Venning – Rustic Pathways Chairman and Thailand’s resident summer director – also has a home here. Our legendary Ricefields Community Service Base in peaceful Northeastern Thailand is comprised of living quarters, classrooms, and features two beautiful eight-bedroom houses largely built from recycled teak. The Ricefields Base has a large swimming pool, organic vegetable, herb, and flower gardens, a gym, a traditional Thai-style sala, and a meditation garden. Rustic Pathways also has two satellite offices and guesthouses in Thailand’s Hill Tribe Region, and has just opened a new year round base in Chiang Rai. The entire organization is linked by a modern communications system.
Amazing, Life-Changing Programs
