About Rustic Pathways
Rustic Pathways LLC (“Rustic Pathways”) is a privately-owned company registered in the State of Delaware. The company offers travel programs in countries around the world. Rustic Pathways offers adventure, community service, language, and educational programs for high school students, college students, groups, individuals, and families. As a condition of enrolling in a program with Rustic Pathways, the participant and participant’s parents and/or legal guardian(s) (collectively “you” or “your”) are required to agree to these Enrollment Terms and Conditions. These Enrollment Terms and Conditions constitute an agreement between you and Rustic Pathways.
Flight Information
Rustic Pathways will book all of the flights that occur between or within destination countries, and the cost for these flights are reflected on your invoice as “Internal Airfare.” You will have the option to have Rustic Pathways make all arrangements for your international air travel from locations within the United States to your program, and back. These flights are referred to as Program Start and End Flights, and are not included in Program Costs or Internal Airfare. If selected, the cost will be added to your invoice. Please refer to the Gap Year Flight and Travel page for more information.
Passport and Visa Requirements
All participants require a valid passport. The expiration date on your passport must be a minimum of six (6) months after the scheduled return date of the trip. Some countries may also require a visa. Please check with your local consulate to see if this applies to you. Rustic Pathways is not responsible for a participant’s failure to obtain or provide proper, valid identification or documentation. No refund will be issued should the participant be denied access to transportation or any other aspect of their planned trip due to invalid or missing identification or documentation.
Sharing Participant Contact Information
To foster the development of friendships and camaraderie before the program begins, Rustic Pathways encourages all participants to share the contact information of participants and parent/guardian(s) with other participants and parent/guardian(s) from the same program (via an online group or otherwise), but the decision to do so is ultimately your own. Rustic Pathways reserves the right to contact a participant’s school or guidance counselor to inform them of their participation in a Rustic Pathways program.
Total Program Cost
The total amount billed for each program will be the program cost plus the cost of Internal Airfare. Participants are responsible for any airfare taxes and fuel surcharges. Participants will receive a specific breakdown of their particular program costs after successfully enrolling. There will be additional costs incurred by the participant before and during programs. These generally include flights to and from program start and end locations, insurance premiums, visa fees, medical expenses, optional activities, laundry, phone and internet usage, and other incidental costs which are not included in the total program cost.
Our programs and airline prices are calculated approximately one year in advance using the current exchange rates at that point in time. In the event of global economic shifts in exchange rates, fuel price increases, airline price increases, or other significant cost increases, Rustic Pathways reserves the right to retroactively bill clients for these increases.
Enrollment Fee
A non-refundable enrollment fee may be required before Rustic Pathways processes your enrollment. This fee is not a deposit toward the cost of the program or any other costs. It is used to cover the administrative costs involved with processing your enrollment.
Program Payments
The total program cost and any applicable airfare costs are due within 10 days following your enrollment unless otherwise noted on the Welcome Letter and Invoice issued by Rustic Pathways. If you do not wish to pay the full cost of your trip within 10 days, you may elect to pay in two equal installments, with your first installment due within 30 days after enrollment, and the second installment due no later than 90 days prior to your scheduled departure date. Paying in installments will incur a 6% administrative fee, calculated based on the full cost of your trip (including airfare and any other fees). During the late application period, payments will be due on an accelerated schedule. All program payments must be paid on or before their due date. All late payments and returned checks will incur a late payment charge.
Rustic Pathways reserves the right to cancel a student’s place or reservation on any program if required payment is not made on time.
Program Cancellation by You
Cancellations are subject to the Rustic Pathways Cancellation Policy. Once your application has been received and accepted, cancellation by you results in a penalty.
- Cancellation by you more than 90 days prior to the start date of your trip will result in the loss of 40% of your total program price plus any additional non-refundable airfare, permits, licenses, etc. purchased on your behalf.
- Cancellation by you between 45 and 89 days prior to the start date of your trip results in a loss of 70% of your total program price plus any additional non-refundable airfare, permits, licenses, etc. purchased on your behalf.
- Cancellation by you fewer than 45 days prior to the start date of your trip will result in the loss of 100% of the total trip cost (including any airfare and any other payments you made).
You acknowledge and agree that if you pay using a credit card or debit to a bank account and if you cancel for any reason, you will not dispute the payment with your credit card company or bank, or process a chargeback or credit to your account, so long as the transaction corresponds to the terms of this Agreement.
Insurance
Rustic Pathways does not provide any form of insurance against accident, injury, illness, death or trip cancellation or disruption. Parents are responsible for ensuring that their son or daughter is fully covered for any medical expenses incurred during their trip. The option of purchasing additional insurance, including conditional coverage for cancellation, medical expenses, and trip disruption is available upon enrollment. Insurance is strongly recommended for all participants.
Cancellation by Rustic Pathways
Rustic Pathways reserves the right to cancel, alter, reschedule or amend the Program at any time for any reason Rustic Pathways determines, in its discretion, is appropriate. Rustic Pathways will make a final decision to offer or cancel a program a reasonable period prior to the start date for a given program. If a program is canceled by Rustic Pathways prior to the start date, a participant may choose between a credit valid towards any other program offered by Rustic Pathways or a full refund of all money paid for the canceled program and internal flights. If a trip is canceled by Rustic Pathways after it has begun, a portion of the total payment will be refunded or a partial credit given. In either case, (i) all refunds will be issued back in the form of payment used (e.g., if payment was made by voucher, the refund will be in the form of a newly issued voucher); (ii) all credits will be issued in the form of a voucher; and (iii) Rustic Pathways is not responsible for any expenses paid by any participant to third parties such as airlines and hotels. In the event that a program is canceled by Rustic Pathways and a credit is given and the participant chooses a less expensive alternate program, the participant will receive a refund of the difference in cost. If a more expensive program is selected, the participant must pay the difference.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, if cancellation by Rustic Pathways is due to a force majeure event such as an Act of God, weather, war, terrorism, pandemic (including COVID), act of a government organization or other similar event beyond Rustic Pathways’ reasonable control, only a full credit (if canceled prior to the start date) or a partial credit (if canceled after the start date) will be given to the participant.
Risk-free Enrollment Period – available to new Rustic Pathways travelers only for a limited period
If you are a new traveler with Rustic Pathways and sign up by July 1, 2021 for a program with travel scheduled to begin in 2022 or 2023, you have the option to cancel your program for any reason prior to July 1, 2021 and we will refund 100% of the payment you have made to Rustic Pathways as of the date of your cancellation. This offer only applies if, and is conditioned on, you either having (a) paid all program payments in full prior to July 1, 2021, or (b) in at the time you signed up, and at all times remained in good standing, in our Automatic Payment Plan.
Participant Requirements
Participants are responsible for selecting a program suitable for their comfort level and capabilities. The Essential Eligibility Criteria is available on our website. By enrolling in a program, participants acknowledge that Rustic Pathways’ programs involve a significant amount of physical activity and personal risk. All participants must read and sign the Participation Enrollment Agreement and the Acknowledgement and Assumption of Risks & Release and Indemnity Agreement as part of the enrollment process.
Rustic Pathways reserves the right to decline anyone from joining a program, with justifiable cause. Rustic Pathways also reserves the right to remove participants from a program without refund if they create a hazard to themselves or others, or if they violate the Rustic Pathways rules. Any costs associated with a participant’s dismissal, including but not limited to additional hotel or flight expenses, will be at the participant and his/her parent or legal guardian’s expense. All participants are responsible for ensuring they meet the Essential Eligibility Criteria, and reading and being familiar with all applicable rules, all of which are available on our website. All participants are encouraged to contact Rustic Pathways with any questions about any of the rules.
Forms and Waivers
Both participants and their parent/guardian(s) (in the case of participating minors) are required to sign and comply with various liability waivers and releases prior to the beginning of any Rustic Pathways program. These documents include the Participation Enrollment Agreement, the Acknowledgement and Assumption of Risks & Release and Indemnity Agreement, and the student’s medical form. Participants are not permitted to travel on any Rustic Pathways program unless all required paperwork has been received in our office at least 30 days prior to departure.
Enrollment Meetings
All participants are required to participate in an Enrollment Meeting held with the student and a member of Rustic Pathways’ staff. If the student is a minor, a parent or legal guardian must attend. If the student is a legal adult, parents and guardians are still strongly encouraged to attend. Additional follow up meetings may be required.
Agreement
The participant and the Parent/Guardian(s) of participating minors agree that (a) this document and all other aspects of their relationship with Rustic Pathways are governed by the laws of the State of Ohio, without regard to its rules on conflicts of laws, and (b) any legal proceeding must be filed only in the state court located in Lake County, Ohio, which will be the sole jurisdiction and venue for any legal proceeding relating to or arising out of the Program, this Agreement or otherwise. Before filing a lawsuit, you agree to first attempt to settle any dispute (not settled by discussion) through mediation before a mutually acceptable Ohio mediator. This Agreement is intended to be interpreted and enforced to the fullest extent allowed by law. If a court or any other appropriate authority finds any portion of this document to be invalid, the remainder will remain in full force and effect and binding upon the parties. The foregoing conditions shall be binding upon the participant personally as well as upon his/her heirs, parents and guardians, executors and administrators, and any and all members of their family.
You acknowledge that your enrollment and this Agreement includes a medical form, a release and waiver of certain legal rights, and other specified contractual obligations between you and Rustic Pathways and you sign the Agreement of your own free will. You acknowledge that acceptance of your participation in a Rustic Pathways program is dependent upon the complete and timely submission of all required documents including but not limited to the Participation Enrollment Agreement and the Acknowledgement and Assumption of Risks & Release and Indemnity Agreement.
4.2 – Updated: Jan. 21, 2021