Ben Kruger

Program Leader & Destination Expert

Ben Kruger is a Program Leader and destination expert at Rustic Pathways. He has led 3 school group programs: Harrow School in Fiji (November 2025), Hong Kong International School's island hopping program in Thailand (2026), and a custom language immersion program in Bali and Lombok for Living School Australia (June 2026). Ben grew up in South Africa, where he spent 29 years before joining Rustic Pathways, working as a safari guide and English teacher. On program, he brings that background with him: students on his trips end up stargazing on beaches, birdwatching between activities, and learning the names of whatever plants and animals cross their path. Ben also writes and reviews Rustic Pathways's destination and program guides, drawing on time on the ground to cover what students actually gain from traveling and what families need to prepare.

Latest

Best Summer Programs in Ecuador for High School Students

June 10, 2026 · 9 min read

Galápagos marine ecology and Andean cloud forest service. What the fixed-date Ecuador programs cost, and which providers work on a different model entirely.

Best Summer Programs in Cuba for High School Students

June 9, 2026 · 5 min read

Cuba is the destination where licensing matters as much as price. Who runs OFAC-licensed teen programs, who takes school groups only, and what it costs.

Best Summer Programs in the Dominican Republic for High School Students

June 8, 2026 · 8 min read

Community service and public health work in the Caribbean. The DR programs that publish a price and fixed dates, plus the operators that run differently.

Best Summer Programs in Guatemala for High School Students

June 7, 2026 · 9 min read

Maya highland culture, climate work, and Spanish immersion. The fixed-date Guatemala programs compared, plus the medical, gap-year, and school-group ones.

Best Summer Programs in Cambodia For High School Students

June 7, 2026 · 5 min read

Angkor Wat, floating-village service, and what each provider charges to get a teenager there. The Cambodia programs compared on price, length, and age.

Best Summer Programs in Belize for High School Students

June 7, 2026 · 7 min read

Caribbean reef, rainforest, and Mayan ruins in the one Central American country that speaks English. The teen programs there compared on cost and age.

How Travel Builds Confidence in Students: Real Growth Outside the Comfort Zone

March 24, 2026 · 5 min read

Two seniors pushed the breakfast tables together in Thailand so all 20 students could eat as one group. Nobody asked them to. That is where confidence actually starts.

12 Fun Facts About the Philippines

February 19, 2026 · 7 min read

Discover fun facts about the Philippines, from its 7,641 islands and record-breaking Christmas season to jeepneys, karaoke, rare wildlife, and a vibrant multicultural heritage.

Divemaster Training: Requirements, Cost & How to Become a PADI Divemaster [2026 Guide]

November 24, 2025 · 6 min read

The full path to becoming a PADI Divemaster: prerequisites, swim and stamina tests, how the course runs, what it costs, and what the work looks like afterward.

Learn to Dive Abroad: How to Earn Your PADI Open Water Certification in Warm-Water Destinations

November 24, 2025 · 4 min read

Earning a PADI Open Water certification in warm water. How the course works, where beginners should do it, and what to look for in a student dive program.