In high school, I made a choice that, at the time, seemed like a BIG one—whether to go on a spring break trip with…
Whether I’m going away for a long weekend or a few weeks on the road the staples in my carry-on are always the same.…
We’re very excited to announce that Rustic Pathways was named 2017 Best Youth Tour Operator during the Global Youth Travel Awards Sept. 28 in…
My phone rang and I was told there was an accident in Peru. “One of our groups got caught in a landslide and there are…
64-80 hours. That’s how long the average Rustic Pathways Program Leader spends training for their role leading service trips for high school students after…
We are excited to announce that Rustic Pathways has been selected as a finalist in two categories, Best Social Responsibility Initiative and Best Youth…
Rustic Pathways was featured in USA Today. Rustic CEO Chris Stakich said having a global perspective is now more important than ever for high school and college students…
If you’ve ever wondered what actually happens on a Rustic Pathways program, we’ve got you covered. Tune into our Instagram Stories where just about every day you can get get a glimpse into the various aspects of a Rustic summer…
While some of you have only just returned from your 2017 programs and others are still traveling, it’s never too early to start thinking about your next adventure…
At Rustic Pathways, our mission is to empower students to positively impact lives and communities around the world…
Over the next 10 weeks, more than 400 seasonal staff members will help students navigate airports, customs, and new experiences across 19 different countries and 100+ Rustic Pathways programs. This year’s program leaders are the most experienced we’ve ever employed…
Did you know we spend about nine hours a day consuming some type of media on our phones? That number startled me until realizing I read this statistic on one of the eight tabs open on my Macbook while snapping on one of my iPhones and scrolling through Instagram on the other. Whether I’m texting…
One of the most amazing things about travel is who you meet and the connections you make along the way. You learn that all people are basically the same. We have the same hopes and dreams, the same concerns and fears. It doesn't take long to realize that we're all connected by a shared humanity.…
The Rustic Pathways staff who operate our programs in more than 20 countries where students travel have a ridiculous amount of travel knowledge. Many have worked in multiple countries so we thought who better than them to ask about what programs to recommend? If you're still trying to decide between summer travel experiences, check out the…
We couldn't be more excited about our partnership with Thrival World Academies. Together we're creating the largest network of publicly-funded travel abroad high schools in the country. The first class left Oakland for Thailand in January, where students are spending three months immersing themselves in the local culture as part of their state of California curriculum. Thrival Executive…
With the latest news this week in Washington, we want to reassure families that Rustic Pathways programs are open to all students — including those who identify as transgender or gender non-conforming. As an organization, we have been committed to these principles of inclusivity for decades. In 2014, we established a formal policy that outlines…
Ten years after traveling with Rustic Pathways, we caught up with Rustic alum Heather Lyon to find out how traveling as a teenager forever changed the trajectory of her life. In 2006, Heather traveled to India and participated in two programs with Rustic Pathways. She enrolled in two more programs the next summer in Peru, including Sacred Valley…
Last year, Rustic Pathways students completed 1,351 service hours with Baltimore City Community College's Refugee Youth Project. Those students served 100 refugee youth, one-third of the 4 to 21 year-olds the Refugee Youth Project supports each year. We're proud of that, but we need your help to continue our work with the Refugee Youth Project…
With the recent changes in Washington many parents are asking themselves "is it safe for my child to travel abroad this summer"? Watch our most recent info session to learn more about how we keep your child safe on a Rustic Pathways program. In this session, we also address safety concerns about traveling abroad right…
Taylor Brennan, of Montclair, New Jersey, brought a smile and a beam of hope into our inbox and we think she’ll do the same for you. Read Taylor's full email—and how travel inspired her passion for helping others—below, published with her permission. [caption id="attachment_18066" align="alignright" width="640"] Taylor with a student during her time spent on the Sacred…