"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
Rustic Pathways has been operating student travel and Community Service programs in Thailand for over a
decade. With dozens of full-time local employees
from incredibly diverse backgrounds, our connections
here ensure access to places that aren’t open to most
visitors, allowing for truly special experiences. Our
Southeast Asian administrative headquarters are
based outside of Chiang Mai, and David Venning –
Rustic Pathways’ Chairman and Thailand’s resident
summer Director – also has a home here. With our
legendary Ricefields Community Service Base in the
northeast, the Hill Tribe Orphanage Project along
the Burmese border, and a number of other bases
throughout the Hill Tribe region, our year round
facilities are proof of our commitment to the
communities and people we love and support in
–welcome to Amazing Thailand.
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
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
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10 to 59 Days from Starting at
$ 995
6 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
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10, 17 Days from Starting at:
$1,095
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
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10 Days from
$1,495
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
10 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 »
RICEFIELDS, MONKS & SMILING CHILDREN
????? IN THAILAND
?????
17 to 70 Days from Starting at
$2,185
9 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 »
TRIBAL TREKKING AND SERVICE
????? TOURING+ADVENTURE 17 Days from
$2,495
2 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
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17 Days from
$2,495
1 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 »
ROAD CYCLE THAILAND
TOURING+ADVENTURE
17 Days from
$2,895
1 Departure Dates available
Ages : 16 and up,
Welcome to Road Cycle Thailand – a truly memorable ride through Thailand’s tropical south. Whether you are a seasoned rider or an enthusiastic beginner, this trip is an opportunity to slow down and see Thailand in a way that few people have.more »
ELEPHANTS AND AMAZING THAILAND
TOURING+ADVENTURE ?????
17 Days from
$2,695
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 »
CONICAL HATS & SAFRON ROBES
PHOTO ADVENTURE IN THAILAND & VIETNAM
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17 Days from
$2,995
1 Departure Date available
Ages : 16 and up,
Both Thailand & Vietnam are wonderful places to visit and photograph. Buddhist monks in their saffron robes recline in ancient temples, lazy water buffaloes graze alongside brilliant green rice paddies, and smiling school children compete for your attention as you reach for your camera.more »
SNAPSHOTS OF KINGDOMS
CHAIRMAN'S PROGRAM, THAILAND & CAMBODIA
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17 Days from
$2,995
1 Departure Date available
Ages : 16 and up,
Designed for level-headed students with a love of both photography and travel, you'll hone your camera skills while exploring Thailand and the famous Angkor Wat,, meeting locals far off the tourist path, eating great regional foods, and seeing things you simply may not believe. more »
WONDERS AND RICHES OF SE ASIA
CHAIRMAN'S PROGRAM
TOURING+ADVENTURE ?????
17 Days from
$4,995
1 Departure Date available
Ages : 16 and up,
The very best that Southeast Asia has to offer! Travel in style with the chairman of Rustic Pathways through Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam, and Burma. This unique program encompasses incredible Asian highlights, provides special access in the regions visited, and ensures exotic cultural experiences throughout the entire journey.more »
ISLAND HOPPING AND DIVING
TOURING+ADVENTURE ?????
17 Days from
$3,295
3 Departure Dates available
Ages : 16 and up,
A nonstop 17 day adventure, Island Hopping and Diving diversifies itself with a mix of scuba diving, sea kayaking, snorkeling, rock climbing, cliff jumping, and just hanging out on the beach. Along this great island journey, you will also enjoy the pleasures of immersing yourself into the warm welcoming Thai culture as we dive into the depths and beauties of this tropical paradise.more »
COME WITH NOTHING, GO HOME RICH
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24 Days from
$3,295
6 Departure Dates available
Ages : 16 and up,
Earn up to 120 Community Service Hours
For dedicated, experienced community service students only! This program provides access to 3 remote villages and allows students to manage a significant budget and design service initiatives to help the villagers. Students homestay and work with local families, and learn from the heart how to design and implement an effective service program.more »
TRIBE TO TRIBE MARATHON PACKAGE
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10 Days from
$895
1 Departure Dates available
Ages : 16 and up,
Rustic Pathways is proud to welcome you (and your friends, family and mere acquaintances) to the first ever Rustic Pathways Tribe-to-Tribe Marathon. Strap on your running shoes, set a training schedule, and join us for a spectacular run through one of the most beautiful regions of Thailand to benefit Karen Hill Tribe children. Organized through the Rustic Pathways Foundation, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, the money raised through the marathon will help pay for the $400 each student needs for food, uniforms, books and school fees.more »
TWO TON TREK
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17 Days from
$3,295
1 Departure Dates available
Ages : 16 and up,
If you’re seeking an exotic adventure that very few people in the world will ever have a chance to take, and if you want to open your heart and help underprivileged hill-tribe children, then this trip is for you! more »
MUTRO DODO NOBU!
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10 Days from
$995
10 Departure Dates available
Ages : 16 and up,
The Karen people have a rich culture that you will learn about during your time here. Music is important to them, and they’ll quickly teach you how to sing along to their many beautiful songs of freedom and redemption. Expect to quickly find yourself immersed in this culture, and to have a tough time saying goodbye when it’s time to leave. Students on this program will receive 40 community service hours for each week at Mutro, Dodo, Nohbu.more »
OFF THE MAP : BURMA
CHAIRMAN'S PROGRAM
TOURING+ADVENTURE
24 Days from
$3,695
2 Departure Dates 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 »
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PAT'S HAPPY SUMMER HOLIDAY TOUR
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17 Days from
$3,695
1 Departure Dates available
Ages : 16 and up,
If you want to see the best sights Asia has to offer through the eyes of a true professional, then this is a trip for you. You’ll visit four different countries with Pat by your side to show you around. Experience the energy of Bangkok, the collision of cultures at the Golden Triangle, a long-tail boat ride over to Laos, a half day touring in exotic Burma, Sentosa Island in Singapore, and some of the world’s coolest markets.
This exciting voyage through Thailand will be a visual feast with ample opportunity to create stunning photographs, but it is also about more than just color and light. You’ll learn to photograph in a respectful way, by investing time in cultural exchange. And typical of Rustic Pathways, the trip will also be an exciting adventure. more »
BUDDHIST LIFE : WALKING THE MIDDLE PATH
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17 Days from
$2,895
2 Departure Dates available
Ages : 16 and up,
Thailand is easily one of the most photographically rich regions in the world. Warm, welcoming people also make it one of the easiest places to learn how to capture wonderful images. Take this opportunity to learn the basic skills of photography and immerse yourself in the intriguing history of this region and its diverse people. This trip has it all – wonderful people and places in Thailand, and practical and fun photo instruction.more »
THE VILLAGE DOCUMENTARY PROJECT
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17 Days from
$2,495
2 Departure Dates available
Ages : 16 and up,
Thailand is easily one of the most photographically rich regions in the world. Warm, welcoming people also make it one of the easiest places to learn how to capture wonderful images. Take this opportunity to learn the basic skills of photography and immerse yourself in the intriguing history of this region and its diverse people. This trip has it all – wonderful people and places in Thailand, and practical and fun photo instruction. more »
DREAMING IN COLOR
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17 Days from
$2,495
1 Departure Dates available
Ages : 14 and up,
Earn up to 16 Community Service Hours
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 »
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 
Amazing, Life-Changing Programs
