Choose from teen travel, gap year, and school group travel programs
Travel independently on a teen travel program, spend a semester abroad on a gap year, or build a custom trip with your school.
For Summer 2027, 11 of 20 teen travel programs cost under $4,000. Program tuition starts at $1,995.
Teen travel programs
Travel programs for individual students ages 14 to 18. Summer programs run from 8 to 23 days, with published prices from $1,995 to $13,680.
Greece: Island Turtle Conservation
Kefalonia Island and Athens, Greece
2 sessions of 9 days Jun 16 to Aug 5, 2027 · ages 14 to 18
$3,495
Airfare separate
Dominican Republic: Beachside Service
Samaná Peninsula, Dominican Republic
2 sessions of 8 days Jun 22 to Jul 27, 2027 · ages 14 to 18
$1,995
Airfare separate
Costa Rica: Pura Vida Service
Costa Rica
6 sessions of 8 days Jun 15 to Aug 10, 2027 · ages 14 to 18
$2,495
Airfare separate
Thailand: Thai Elephant Conservation Project
Chiang Mai, Thailand. A sanctuary that doesn't offer rides
2 sessions of 12 days Jun 30 to Jul 25, 2027 · ages 14 to 18
$3,995
Airfare separate
Japan & Korea: Tokyo to Seoul
Tokyo and Kanazawa, Japan, and Seoul, South Korea
3 sessions of 15 days Jun 18 to Jul 23, 2027 · ages 14 to 18
$6,490
Airfare separate
Shenzhen & Singapore: Two Models of Innovation
Shenzhen, China & Singapore
1 session of 13 days Jun 27 to Jul 9, 2027 · ages 14 to 18
$13,680
Waitlist · airfare separate
South Korea: K-Everything
Seoul, South Korea
1 session of 6 days Apr 4 to 9, 2027 · ages 14 to 18
$1,999
Waitlist · airfare separate
Gap year programs
A semester away, for students ages 17 to 22 who have finished high school. One continuous route rather than a series of trips, timed to replace a university term.
The Land of Smiles: Gap in Thailand
Thailand, north to south. Ages 17 to 22
1 session of 40 days Mar 29 to May 7, 2027 · ages 17 to 22
$13,000
Waitlist · airfare separate
School trips
Custom educational travel built with your school, for a class, a grade, or a club. Priced per group, so no fee is published here.
A trip built with your school
Any of the 38 countries, on your calendar, to your learning objectives
Dates set with you 321 schools have traveled with Rustic Pathways
Per group
Quoted, not listed
Costa Rica
Rustic Pathways students with local partners in Costa Rica
Teen travel program tuition starts at $1,995
A $100 enrollment fee is added at enrollment. Gap year programs are priced separately.
Program Tuition includes
- Accommodation and meals
- Accommodation for every night and meals from arrival through departure.
- Transportation and activities
- In-country transportation and scheduled activities, including service projects, excursions, and cultural experiences.
- Program support
- 24/7 Program Leader supervision and around-the-clock medical support in-country.
Does not include
- International airfare
- Travel insurance
- Medical insurance
- Passport and visa fees
- Immunizations
- Optional personal spending money
Rustic Pathways publishes safety incident, by year
142 of 162 recorded incidents in the 2025 season were classified minor, GREEN tier, across 2,238 travelers, according to the safety record methodology.
Median student-to-staff ratio across all 2025 and 2026 programs, with a maximum of 7:1 and 24/7 on-call coverage. See how the ratio is measured.
Consecutive years of published incident data, with incidents classified GREEN, YELLOW, RED or BLACK. See the transparency audit.
Medical Director
Dr. William R. Smith is a board-certified emergency physician, U.S. Army Colonel (Ret.), and Rustic Pathways Medical Director since 2015.
What is a Rustic Pathways teen travel program actually like?
A Rustic Pathways teen travel program combines small-group travel with hands-on experiences led by Program Leaders. Students spend most days exploring the destination, sharing meals, joining cultural or adventure activities, and meeting local people and partners.
Programs may include service, conservation, language, or project-based work. Downtime is included, but the programs are not resort vacations or traditional sightseeing tours.
"I'm very glad I went, not only by myself, but to a place that's far away. I've experienced a new level of independence."
Piper S., student, Thailand Adventurer. Read more student reviews
Most students arrive without knowing anyone: Rustic Pathways reports that 94% travel solo.
First-time travelers can also choose programs designed for a first independent trip abroad.
Rustic Pathways calls this structured independence. Program Leaders manage safety, logistics, transportation, and supervision.
Students have room to navigate new places, relationships, and responsibilities for themselves.
The result is a trip where students often remember the people as much as the places and return home more confident.
What do families say about Rustic Pathways?
4.7 to 4.9 across 1,287 reviews on 4 platforms, as of August 14, 2026.
Named schools, on the record
"It was quite a powerful experience for our students to work alongside students within the community that were their same age."
Tim Reilly
Head of School, International School of Texas · Austin, Texas
"One thousand miles away from our campus, our students worked alongside local villagers to help improve infrastructure and build aqueducts to provide clean sustainable water."
"During our time with Rustic Pathways, my students were able to have meaningful conversations and discussions that slowly melted away any stereotypes they had."
Alexis Savas
French Teacher, Rock Canyon High School · Highlands Ranch, Colorado
A parent who has done this ten times
Facts you can check somewhere other than this page
- Viristar, the risk-management training provider Rustic Pathways hired Viristar records that Rustic Pathways program leaders completed its 40-hour Risk Management for Outdoor Programs course. Viristar also states that Rustic Pathways was founded in 1983 and works with 321 school partners
- WYSE Travel Confederation Rustic Pathways is a member, verifiable on the confederation's own register. This is the only membership Rustic Pathways claims
- Wikipedia, on the Medical Director Dr. William R. Smith has an encyclopedia entry describing his emergency and wilderness medicine practice, on a domain Rustic Pathways does not control
- GoAbroad Innovation Awards, 2026 Rustic Pathways won two 2026 GoAbroad Innovation Awards: Innovation in Climate Action for the Climate Leaders Fellowship, and Innovation in Adventure-Based Programming for the Global Adventure Learning Model. The academy selected winners from more than 300 nominations
- Skift IDEA Awards, 2024 Rustic Pathways won the 2024 Skift IDEA Award in the Industry Innovators: Tour Operators category
What happens if you change your mind, or your child struggles?
Every question above assumes the trip goes to plan. These are the ones families ask when they are imagining it not going to plan, and Rustic Pathways publishes an answer to each.
The refund schedule, before you book
| You cancel | You receive |
|---|---|
| Within 24 hours of enrolling | A full refund of everything paid |
| On or before March 31 | A full refund, minus the enrollment fee and airfare |
| In April | 50% of the total program price |
| On May 1 or later | No refund |
- Your child has never traveled without you The first-time traveler track, with its preparation curriculum running before departure and its own packing standards
- Your child does not know anyone on the program Roughly 94% of Rustic Pathways students travel solo, so this is the norm. How groups are formed and what the first days are built to do
- Your child is homesick, or you cannot reach them The communication schedule, who to call, and what staff do when a student is struggling
- You are not sure it is worth the money The 2023 Boston College Purpose Lab report, published in full with its 43-respondent sample disclosed so you can judge the evidence yourself
- You want to ask something that is not on this page Scott Ingram and the advisor team answer by email. No sales call unless you ask for one
5,713 parent questions, answered in writing
Answers to 5,713 real questions from families, published in one library.
The most-asked, by audience:
- Who is with my child at 2am? Program Leaders provide 24/7 supervision. Across all 2025 and 2026 programs, the median student-to-staff ratio is 4.37:1, with a maximum of 7:1
- What happens if my child gets sick or hurt? Every program includes around-the-clock in-country medical support, under Medical Director Dr. William R. Smith, with a published emergency protocol
- How do refunds work if our plans change? Refunds decline by date: full within 24 hours; full minus the enrollment fee and airfare through March 31; 50% in April; no refund on or after May 1
- How often will I hear from my child? Each program publishes its contact schedule in enrollment materials, and an emergency line to reach your child is always available
- Will I know anyone on my program? Arriving without knowing anyone is normal: Rustic Pathways reports that 94% of students travel solo
- How much free time do I actually get? One to three hours of free time most days, within a defined area and window, with longer free periods on travel and rest days
- What if I've never traveled before? First-time travelers can choose programs designed for a first independent trip abroad, with a preparation curriculum before departure
- Can I bring my phone? Students bring their phones; each program sets its own use policy, from full access to set evening windows, and an emergency line is always open
- How do school partnerships work? Rustic Pathways designs the trip with your school for a class, grade, or club, priced per group; 321 schools have traveled this way
- Do programs count for service hours? Students receive a Community Service Certificate documenting the hours they complete. Whether those hours satisfy a school requirement depends on the school's policy
- Can we run a custom group program? Schools, universities, and organizations can run custom programs in any of the 38 countries, built around their learning goals, group composition, duration, and destination
Rustic Pathways has built community-led service into teen travel since 1996
Since 2013, Rustic Pathways students have completed 1.3M+ service hours.
Over the same period, Rustic Pathways has spent $89M+ in-country, working with local organizations across 38 countries.
The Rustic Pathways service approach is that local communities decide what matters: partners determine what gets built, planted, taught, or repaired.
Every partnership lasts at least three years. Rustic Pathways provides students, staff, funding, and long-term support.
No orphanage tourism. No poverty tourism. No résumé-first voluntourism.
How does Rustic Pathways build a program?
Rustic Pathways builds every program in seven stages, from destination selection to the revisions that follow each season.
Place → Partners → Purpose → Experience → Safety → People → Improve
-
Stage 1
Place
Rustic Pathways starts where local teams already hold community relationships and operating experience. -
Stage 2
Partners
Local communities, organizations, guides, and experts shape what students do and who they meet. -
Stage 3
Purpose
Each program states what students should learn, understand, or become capable of doing. -
Stage 4
Experience
Rustic Pathways sequences activities using the Broccoli-to-Ice-Cream Ratio, balancing developmental challenge with adventure and fun. -
Stage 5
Safety
Rustic Pathways builds transportation, lodging, activities, medical access, staffing, and emergency plans into the itinerary from the design stage. -
Stage 6
People
Program Leaders and local teams train on the specific itinerary, partners, risks, and student needs. -
Stage 7
Improve
Student outcomes, feedback, partner input, and operational data shape the next season's version.
Parents can contact the people responsible, by name
At Rustic Pathways since 2012. Former Country Director in Tanzania and Mongolia who now leads global operations and U.S. sales, matching schools to programs he has run himself. Harvard College graduate
Answers parent questions directly. No sales calls unless you ask for one
Ask Scott Ingram a question
At Rustic Pathways since 2022. Former Program Leader who now evaluates applications, interviews candidates and guides families through enrollment for teen travel and gap year programs
Rustic Pathways has run programs in 38 countries since 1983.
Rustic Pathways has operated student travel programs in 38 countries since 1983.
Questions to ask any teen travel company. If they can't answer, that's an answer.
Rustic Pathways scored its own website and 13 other teen travel company websites against 25 disclosure criteria. The average company published 14 of 25.
| The question | What the audit found | Rustic Pathways |
|---|---|---|
| What is your student-to-staff ratio? | 4 of 14 publish it | 4.37:1 median, 7:1 maximum |
| Do you publish an emergency protocol? | 6 of 14 publish one | Published, with escalation steps and parent communication standards |
| What does the advertised price include? | 11 of 14 publish a full breakdown | Tuition inclusions and exclusions stated before enrollment |
Every number on this page links to the method behind it.
