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
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See what reviewers are saying
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
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
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
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
6082 Pinecone Dr., 44060, Mentor, United States
- 440-975-9691
- rustic@rusticpathways.com
- rusticpathways.com
4.9
Excellent
218 reviews
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Surf and Serve Costa Rica 2024
My son loved the daily surfing. He also really enjoyed the fishing trip and zip lining. He was happy to meet the children whose elementary school he was refurbishing.
26 July 2024
Reply from Rustic Pathways
We're thrilled to hear that your son loved the activities in Costa Rica. We are grateful you chose Rustic Pathways, and we hope to see him on another adventure soon!
Customer service in planning trip was…
Customer service in planning trip was exceptional. Both my kids were on the Japan trip and LOVED it. Thank you and they will likely participate next summer. Thank you!
27 June 2024
Reply from Rustic Pathways
We're thrilled to hear that both of your kids loved the Japan trip. We look forward to welcoming them back next summer for another fantastic adventure!
My son was perfectly well taken care of…
My son was perfectly well taken care of and learned from the people in the villages.
18 July 2024
Reply from Rustic Pathways
Thank you for sharing your positive feedback, and we hope to have the opportunity to welcome your son back in the future!
Trying new things
I loved seeing so many new places and learning about the culture of Peru.
15 July 2024
Reply from Rustic Pathways
Thank you for sharing your experience! We're thrilled to hear that you loved exploring new places and learning about the culture of Peru. We hope to make your future adventures just as memorable!
Fun in Hawaii
My son had a fantastic trip with Rustic Pathways, to Hawaii. He took part in multiple memorable excursions and partook in service hours also. He particularly loved the sunset swim and the volcano hike. My son made some great friends and has wonderful memories of his trip.
12 July 2024
Reply from Rustic Pathways
Thank you for sharing your son's experience with us! We're thrilled he had a fantastic trip to Hawaii with memorable activities and service. The sunset swim and volcano hike sound amazing! We hope to see him on another adventure soon!
Outstanding in all respects
Outstanding in all respects. Already a repeat customer and will be back.
12 July 2024
Reply from Rustic Pathways
Thank you for your kind words! We're thrilled to hear you're a repeat customer and look forward to welcoming you back again. See you soon!
Amazing experience…
My daughter had an amazing experience she will remember for the rest of her life. She is already asking when she can sign up for her next Rustic Pathways trip!
25 June 2024
Reply from Rustic Pathways
Thank you for sharing! We're thrilled your daughter had an unforgettable experience. We're excited to hear she's already looking forward to her next trip with us!
Reply from Rustic Pathways
We are so happy you enjoyed the program! We are looking forward to seeing you next summer!
Fantastic
Overall, I had a fantastic time on my trip to Japan. The trip leaders were supportive and informative, leading us through a variety of fun experiences. I had a great time exploring the cities of Tokyo and Kanazawa, and getting to know the country. This trip left a lasting impression on me, and I would be ecstatic to travel with Rustic Pathways again.
30 June 2024
Reply from Rustic Pathways
Thank you for sharing your experience! We're thrilled to hear you had a fantastic time in Japan and enjoyed exploring Tokyo and Kanazawa with your trip leaders. We look forward to having you travel with us again!
Great experience
My daughters went to Rustic Pathways program in Hawaii and they were soo happy!
They had a lot of fun, the group was great and the leaders were very nice and helpful!
Emily thanks for everything!
3 July 2024
Reply from Rustic Pathways
Thank you for sharing! We're delighted to hear your daughters had such a happy and fun experience in Hawaii with their group and leaders. We hope to see your daughters on another adventure soon!
The kids enjoyed the trip and the…
The kids enjoyed the trip and the counselors were very helpful and engaging.
They will be back next year.
27 June 2024
Reply from Rustic Pathways
Thank you for your feedback! We're thrilled to hear the kids enjoyed the trip. We look forward to welcoming them back next year!
Super organized, amazing experience
Super organized, responsive! Fantastic guides. My son had an incredible experience!
28 June 2024
Reply from Rustic Pathways
We're thrilled to hear your son had an incredible experience!
Awesome experience
Great staff on the trip. Full days of fun activities. Lots of time outdoors in the garden, cooking meals together, beach time. Meaningful community service opportunities and really interesting education about the island of Hawaii and its people.
30 June 2024
Reply from Rustic Pathways
Thank you for your review! We're glad your child enjoyed the activities, community service, and learning about Hawaii. We hope to see them on another adventure soon!
Great international trip for teenagers…
Great international trip for teenagers interested in exploring other cultures and countries. My son met new friends, learned new skills and had a blast. The chaperones were knowledgeable and consistently present without feeling heavy handed.
30 June 2024
Reply from Rustic Pathways
Thank you for your fantastic feedback! We're thrilled to hear that your son had a great time exploring new cultures and countries, made new friends, and learned new skills.
Fun and happy …
Knowing that my daughter had fun and had a great time surfing in Costa Rica. Washer birthday there and a special one since she celebrated with new friends.
29 June 2024
Reply from Rustic Pathways
We're delighted to hear that your daughter had such a fun time surfing in Costa Rica and celebrating her birthday with new friends. Thank you for sharing this wonderful feedback!
Review from the mother of a young adult that attended the Costa Rica 2024
This is from the mother of a young adult who went on the Costa Rica Trip 2024. My daughter expressed she had a wonderful time, made alot of fun memories, a couple friends and brought back a few trinkets! The only thing I'd suggest is that whoever takes photos of these excursions, TAKE MORE!! For her 8 day experience I only received maybe 20 pics.
14 June 2024
Reply from Rustic Pathways
Thank you for sharing your feedback! We're thrilled to hear that your daughter had a wonderful time in Costa Rica. We appreciate your suggestion and will certainly take it into consideration to better capture these memorable moments.
Kids are in good hands
Great experience for kids to understand how many people live, without what they have grown up knowing as, basic necessities. Like clean water.
17 June 2024
Reply from Rustic Pathways
Thank you for sharing your positive feedback! We are delighted to hear that you found the program to be such a valuable experience.
Great experience!
Very well organized, great experiences, good communication before and after the trip.
8 June 2024
Reply from Rustic Pathways
Thank you for your review! We are so happy you had a great experience all-around.
Amazing experience for my daughter
Amazing experience for my daughter, very safe, well organized, amazing tour, all was excellent!
28 March 2024
Reply from Rustic Pathways
Thank you for your positive feedback! We're thrilled your daughter had an amazing trip, and that you had an excellent experience with our service!
Reply from Rustic Pathways
Thank you for your kind words! We're thrilled to hear that you had a great experience. We appreciate your support and hope to have the opportunity to serve you and your family again in the future!
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