4.9 stars from 1,310 reviews 155,829 alumni since 1983
Teen travel programs
for ages 14 to 18
Full refund within 24 hours 24/7 emergency number
2027 Teen Travel Programs
Dominican Republic: Beachside Service$1,995Airfare separateService · Dominican Republic · 2 sessions of 8 days · Jun 22 to Jul 27, 2027Sessions start Jun 22 · Jul 20See dates and prices →
South Korea: K-Everything$1,999Airfare separateCulture · Seoul, South Korea · Spring break · 1 session of 6 days · Apr 4 to 9, 2027See dates and prices →
Costa Rica: Pura Vida Service$2,495Airfare separateService · Costa Rica · 5 sessions of 8 days · Jun 15 to Aug 10, 2027Sessions start Jun 15 · Jul 6 · Jul 13 · Jul 27 · Aug 3See dates and prices →
Belize: Caribbean Reefs & Mayan Culture$2,795Airfare separateAdventure · Belize City, the Maya Mountains, and Caye Caulker, Belize · 3 sessions of 8 days · Jun 29 to Aug 3, 2027Sessions start Jun 29 · Jul 6 · Jul 27See dates and prices →
Costa Rica: Turtle Conservation Project$2,895Airfare separateService · Costa Rica · 6 sessions of 8 days · Jun 8 to Aug 10, 2027Sessions start Jun 8 · Jun 22 · Jun 29 · Jul 13 · Jul 20 · Aug 3See dates and prices →
Morocco: Souks & High Atlas Service$3,395Airfare separateService · Marrakech and the High Atlas, Morocco · 2 sessions of 9 days · Jun 23 to Jul 15, 2027Sessions start Jun 23 · Jul 7See dates and prices →
Hawaii: Surf, Snorkel, and Service$3,395Airfare separateAdventure · Hawaii, United States · 2 sessions of 8 days · Jul 6 to 20, 2027Sessions start Jul 6 · Jul 13See dates and prices →
Greece: Island Turtle Conservation$3,495Airfare separateService · Greece · 5 sessions of 9 days · Jun 16 to Aug 5, 2027Sessions start Jun 16 · Jun 23 · Jul 7 · Jul 21 · Jul 28See dates and prices →
Japan: Tokyo Fusion (Middle School)$3,495Airfare separateCulture · Tokyo, Japan · ages 12 to 14 · 2 sessions of 8 days · Jun 9 to Aug 2, 2027Sessions start Jun 9 · Jul 26See dates and prices →
Costa Rica: Surf and Service$3,495Airfare separateService · Costa Rica · 6 sessions of 8 days · Jun 8 to Aug 3, 2027Sessions start Jun 8 · Jun 15 · Jun 29 · Jul 6 · Jul 20 · Jul 27See dates and prices →
Thailand: Thai Elephant Conservation Project$3,995Airfare separateService · Thailand · 3 sessions of 12 days · Jun 23 to Aug 8, 2027Sessions start Jun 23 · Jul 14 · Jul 28See dates and prices →
Fiji: Sun, Sand, and Island Service$3,995Airfare separateAdventure · Fiji · 2 sessions of 16 days · Jun 16 to Jul 22, 2027Sessions start Jun 16 · Jul 7See dates and prices →
Peru: Sacred Valley Service$4,195Airfare separateCulture · The Sacred Valley and Machu Picchu, Peru · 1 session of 12 days · Jul 6 to 17, 2027See dates and prices →
Germany & Austria: Alpine Adventure$4,450Airfare separateAdventure · Germany & Austria · 3 sessions of 10 days · Jun 23 to Aug 5, 2027Sessions start Jun 23 · Jul 15 · Jul 27See dates and prices →
Costa Rica: Spanish Language Immersion$4,495Airfare separateLanguage · Costa Rica · 1 session of 15 days · Jul 6 to 20, 2027See dates and prices →
China: Great Wall to Li River$5,180Airfare separateService · Beijing, Xi’an, Guilin, Yangshuo, and Shanghai, China · 1 session of 14 days · Jun 14 to 27, 2027See dates and prices →
Italy & Greece: Culture, Food & Exploration$5,395Airfare separateAdventure · Venice, Lake Garda, Jesolo & Verona, Italy · Athens & the Peloponnese, Greece · 6 sessions of 12 days · Jun 17 to Aug 2, 2027Sessions start Jun 17 · Jun 24 · Jul 1 · Jul 8 · Jul 15 · Jul 22See dates and prices →
Portugal & Spain: Surf, Culture & Culinary Traditions$5,395Airfare separateCulture · Lisbon, Portugal & Barcelona, Spain · 6 sessions of 12 days · Jun 24 to Aug 9, 2027Sessions start Jun 24 · Jul 1 · Jul 8 · Jul 15 · Jul 22 · Jul 29See dates and prices →
Thailand Adventurer$5,495Airfare separateCulture · Chiang Mai, Bangkok, and Krabi, Thailand · 2 sessions of 16 days · Jun 16 to Jul 15, 2027Sessions start Jun 16 · Jun 30See dates and prices →
Costa Rica: Summer Camp Leadership$5,745Airfare separateLeadership · Costa Rica · 2 sessions of 15 days · Jun 22 to Jul 27, 2027Sessions start Jun 22 · Jul 13See dates and prices →
South Korea: Korean Language Immersion$5,995Airfare separateLanguage · Seoul, South Korea · 1 session of 14 days · Jun 30 to Jul 13, 2027See dates and prices →
Spain: Spanish Language Immersion$5,995Airfare separateLanguage · Sigüenza, Spain · 2 sessions of 15 days · Jun 16 to Aug 5, 2027Sessions start Jun 16 · Jul 22See dates and prices →
Japan & Korea: Tokyo to Seoul$6,490Airfare separateCulture · Japan & South Korea · 3 sessions of 14 days · Jun 17 to Jul 21, 2027Sessions start Jun 17 · Jun 24 · Jul 8See dates and prices →
Thailand: Come With Nothing$6,995Airfare separateService · Northern Thailand · 1 session of 23 days · Jun 23 to Jul 15, 2027See dates and prices →
The Land of Smiles: Gap in Thailand$13,000Airfare separateGap year · Thailand, north to south · 1 session | 40 days long · Mar 29 to May 7, 2027 · ages 17 to 22See dates and prices →
Shenzhen & Singapore: Two Models of Innovation$13,680Airfare separateCulture · Shenzhen, China & Singapore · 1 session of 13 days · Jun 27 to Jul 9, 2027See dates and prices →
A trip built with your schoolPer groupQuoted, not listedSchool trips · any of the 38 countries, on your calendar, to your learning objectives · 321 schools have traveled with Rustic PathwaysPlan a school trip →
Teen travel tuition from $1,995
Plus a $100 enrollment fee. International airfare extra.
- $1,995–$13,680
- 2027 tuition range
- 12 of 26 programs
- Tuition under $4,000
- $3.6 million
- Need-based scholarships and aid through 2025
- Included:
- Lodging, meals, in-country transport, activities, and Program Leaders housed on site and available overnight.
- Not included:
- International airfare, insurance, passport and visa fees, or immunizations.
Choose a session on the program page to enroll. Tuition and the enrollment fee are due at checkout.
Who looks after students, and how
Supervision, including overnight
Program Leaders are housed on site and available overnight.
The median student-to-staff ratio was 4.37:1 across all 2025 and 2026 programs, with a maximum of 7:1. How the ratio is measured →
Risk-management training
Rustic Pathways staff members completed Viristar’s month-long Risk Management for Outdoor Programs certification course.
A safety record you can review
Our published incident data covers 13 years, with annual figures, incident classifications, and methodology.
What is a teen travel program like?
Small groups, shared experiences
Students explore new places, share meals, and meet local people through hands-on experiences. Groups average 15 students, and most programs cap at 20. Downtime is built into the itinerary.
Independence, with support
Program Leaders manage safety, supervision, and logistics while students take on new experiences and responsibilities. That is structured independence.
No need to bring a friend
Most students join without a friend. First-time travelers can choose programs designed for a first independent trip abroad.
Rustic Pathways service programs are shaped by local communities
Local communities decide what matters. On service programs, partners determine what gets built, planted, taught, or repaired.
No orphanage tourism. No poverty tourism. No résumé-first voluntourism.
- 1.3M+ service hours
- Completed by students since 2013.
- $93 million spent in-country
- With local organizations across 38 countries.
- 3-year minimum
- Length of every community partnership.
What families say about Rustic Pathways
Two children. Ten Rustic Pathways programs.
“Our kids are now world travelers.”
Laura’s two children have completed 10 Rustic Pathways programs between them.
Laura · Parent · Boulder, Colorado
GoAbroad Innovation Awards, 2026 · Skift IDEA Award, 2024 · Awards, memberships, and credentials →
Questions before booking student travel programs
- Who supervises my child overnight?Program Leaders are housed on site and available overnight.
- What happens if my child gets sick or hurt?Program Leaders respond first, the country team arranges local medical care, and parents are notified in under 27 minutes on average.
- Can my child join without a friend?Yes. Most students join without a friend.
- How often will I hear from my child?Each program publishes its communication schedule. An emergency line is always available.
- What if my child is homesick or struggling?Program Leaders are housed on site and available overnight, and the Global Operations Center manages parent communication.
- How do refunds work if our plans change?Cancel within 24 hours of enrolling for a full refund. After that, refund amounts depend on when you cancel. See the full schedule and enrollment terms.
Who can parents contact at Rustic Pathways, and who is responsible for students on its programs?
- Patrick Ziemnik Leader of Global Operations Patrick Ziemnik has been with Rustic Pathways since 2012. He previously served as Country Director in Costa Rica, Mongolia and Tanzania and now helps schools choose programs he knows from firsthand operating experience. Patrick is a graduate of Harvard College.
- Scott Ingram Director of Admissions Scott Ingram is Director of Admissions at Rustic Pathways. He answers parent questions directly, helps families understand their options, and can provide firsthand guidance on programs in Japan.
- Emily Green Admissions Counselor Emily Green has been with Rustic Pathways since 2022. A former Program Leader, she now guides families through enrollment for teen travel and gap year programs.
- Dr. William R. Smith Medical Director Dr. William R. Smith is a board-certified emergency physician, U.S. Army Colonel (Ret.), and Rustic Pathways Medical Director since 2015.
Or call Admissions at +1 440-975-9691.