Rustic Pathways specializes in teen travel programs for students ages 12 to 19, with student programs in 31 of the 38 countries where it operates.
Teen travel programs by country
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Americas 12 countries
2027 dates published
- Costa RicaPrograms range from 26 service hours of sea turtle work at Camaronal Wildlife Refuge to a 15-day Spanish homestay in Turrialba.
- 2027
- 4 programs
- Length
- 8–15 days
- Tuition
- from $2,495
- Ages
- 14–18
- Suits
- first-time travelers and those who want a challenge
- Good for
- Spanish immersion
- United StatesThe 2027 program runs on Hawaii's Big Island: surfing the Kona coast, stargazing from Mauna Kea, and about 12 service hours with the Akahiao Nature Institute and the Kona Food Bank.
- 2027
- 1 program
- Length
- 8 days
- Tuition
- from $3,395
- Ages
- 14–18
- Suits
- travelers who want a challenge
- Good for
- surfing, stargazing
- Dominican RepublicEight days of public health service in batey communities near Bella Vista, with cultural learning in Santo Domingo and active days on the north coast.
- 2027
- 1 program
- Length
- 8 days
- Tuition
- from $1,995
- Ages
- 14–18
- Suits
- first-time travelers
- Good for
- public health service
- PeruA four-night homestay in a Sacred Valley village, community infrastructure work, and 20 verified service hours, with a guided train journey to Machu Picchu.
- 2027
- 1 program
- Length
- 12 days
- Tuition
- from $4,195
- Ages
- 14–18
- Good for
- homestays, Machu Picchu
- BelizeRainforest fieldwork at the T.R.E.E.S. base, from wildlife studies to bird banding, then marine exploration on Caye Caulker, with about 22 hours of conservation service.
- 2027
- 1 program
- Length
- 8 days
- Tuition
- from $2,795
- Ages
- 14–18
- Suits
- first-time travelers
- Good for
- rainforest fieldwork, marine life
- EcuadorBased first in Yunguilla in the Andean highlands, then on Santa Cruz and Isabela in the Galápagos for conservation work and wildlife study.
- 2027
- 1 program (sold out)
- Length
- 13 days
- Tuition
- from $5,495
- Ages
- 14–18
- Good for
- Galápagos wildlife, conservation
Recent season, 2027 dates pending
- ArgentinaBuenos Aires, Iguazu Falls, and Patagonia's Perito Moreno Glacier, with tango lessons, kayaking on the Tigre Delta, and rafting on glacier-fed rivers.
- Recent season
- 1 program
- Length
- 13 days
- Tuition
- from $8,695
- Dates
- 2027 not yet published
- Ages
- 15–19
- Suits
- travelers who want a challenge
- Good for
- glaciers, rafting
- GuatemalaAntigua and a social enterprise water-filter factory, building homes with families in the Maya town of Patzún, and a boat ride to villages on Lake Atitlán.
- Recent season
- 1 program
- Length
- 8 days
- Tuition
- from $2,030
- Dates
- 2027 not yet published
- Ages
- 14–18
- Good for
- home-building service, Maya highlands
- PanamaThe Panama Canal and Casco Viejo, a night in an Emberá village, then painting and refurbishing classrooms at a Kuna school in the San Blas Islands.
- Recent season
- 1 program
- Length
- 9 days
- Tuition
- from $3,095
- Dates
- 2027 not yet published
- Ages
- 15–19
- Good for
- Indigenous cultures, island adventure
- Puerto RicoNo passport needed for US citizens: walk Old San Juan, hike El Yunque, the only tropical forest in the US National Forest System, and kayak the Bio Bay to see glowing plankton.
- Recent season
- 1 program
- Length
- 8 days
- Tuition
- from $2,945
- Dates
- 2027 not yet published
- Ages
- 14–18
- Good for
- travel without a passport, rainforest hiking
School groups only or not running
- CubaHavana paired with conservation in the Lomas de Banao, documentary photography in Trinidad and Viñales, or Spanish immersion in Las Terrazas.
- School groups only
- 3 itineraries, see school trips
- Good for
- photography, conservation
- MexicoMaya ruins and cenotes, local craft makers, and the Huasteca Potosina.
- School groups only
- 3 itineraries, see school trips
- Good for
- Maya history, crafts
Europe 8 countries
2027 dates published
- PortugalLisbon surf lessons and coastal conservation, from beach cleanups to eco-snorkeling that removes marine debris.
- 2027
- 2 programs
- Length
- 8–12 days
- Tuition
- from $3,395
- Availability
- 1 of 2 sold out
- Ages
- 14–18
- Suits
- travelers who want a challenge
- Good for
- surfing, ocean conservation
- GreeceMarine conservation on Kefalonia Island with local conservation experts, followed by Athens.
- 2027
- 2 programs
- Length
- 9–12 days
- Tuition
- from $3,495
- Ages
- 14–18
- Good for
- sea turtle conservation
- SpainBeach cleanups, eco-snorkeling, and cooking classes near Barcelona, or a 15-day Spanish homestay in Sigüenza with 42 hours of classes.
- 2027
- 3 programs
- Length
- 8–15 days
- Tuition
- from $3,395
- Availability
- 1 of 3 sold out
- Ages
- 14–18
- Suits
- travelers who want a challenge
- Good for
- Spanish immersion, ocean conservation
- ItalyA northern Italy base house for Venice, Verona, and Lake Garda with pasta lessons from local farmers, or 12 days surveying dolphins, sea turtles, and seagrass with research scientists in Liguria.
- 2027
- 3 programs
- Length
- 8–12 days
- Tuition
- from $3,395
- Availability
- 1 of 3 sold out
- Ages
- 14–18
- Good for
- food, marine biology
Recent season, 2027 dates pending
- GermanyThe Bavarian Alps around Munich and Salzburg, with alpine trail hikes and stops that follow The Sound of Music.
- Recent season
- 4 programs
- Length
- 8–15 days
- Tuition
- from $3,395
- Dates
- 2027 not yet published
- Ages
- 14–18
- Suits
- travelers who want a challenge
- Good for
- alpine hiking
- BalkansZagreb and the Dalmatian Coast, with national parks, medieval towns, and UNESCO World Heritage sites.
- Recent season
- 1 program
- Length
- 9 days
- Tuition
- from $3,195
- Dates
- 2027 not yet published
- Ages
- 14–18
- Good for
- history, national parks
- FranceFifteen days across Paris, Bordeaux, Arcachon, and the Basque coast, with 10 verified service hours.
- Recent season
- 1 program
- Length
- 15 days
- Tuition
- from $5,995
- Dates
- 2027 not yet published
- Ages
- 14–18
- Good for
- service, coastal travel
School groups only or not running
- IcelandClimate and conservation, a geology field study, or West Iceland and the Golden Circle.
- School groups only
- 3 itineraries, see school trips
- Good for
- geology, climate science
Africa 4 countries
2027 dates published
- MoroccoOrientation in Marrakech, then village-based service and cultural exchange in the High Atlas Mountains.
- 2027
- 1 program
- Length
- 9 days
- Tuition
- from $3,395
- Ages
- 14–18
- Good for
- village service, cultural exchange
Recent season, 2027 dates pending
- TanzaniaFour 16-day programs, from a Kilimanjaro climb to a Ngorongoro Crater safari and snorkeling off Zanzibar.
- Recent season
- 4 programs
- Length
- 16 days
- Tuition
- from $4,645
- Dates
- 2027 not yet published
- Ages
- 14–18
- Suits
- travelers who want a challenge
- Good for
- safari wildlife, Kilimanjaro trekking
- GhanaA two-week cross-country trip through Accra and Mole National Park, with service at a school for the deaf and blind and the history of the transatlantic slave trade.
- Recent season
- 1 program
- Length
- 15 days
- Tuition
- from $4,895
- Dates
- 2027 not yet published
- Ages
- 14–18
- Good for
- history, school service
School groups only or not running
- South AfricaCape Town, South African history paired with a safari, or ranger conservation work.
- School groups only
- 3 itineraries, see school trips
- Good for
- safari, conservation
Asia-Pacific 14 countries
2027 dates published
- ThailandPrograms run from 12 days of elephant conservation in Chiang Mai and Lampang to Come With Nothing, a 23-day village service expedition with 60 service hours.
- 2027
- 3 programs
- Length
- 12–23 days
- Tuition
- from $3,995
- Ages
- 14–18
- Suits
- first-time travelers and those who want a challenge
- Good for
- elephant conservation, long service expeditions
- JapanTokyo and Kanazawa on to Seoul, or eight days in rural Akita with two days on a working farm and a preserved samurai village.
- 2027
- 3 programs
- Length
- 8–14 days
- Tuition
- from $3,295
- Ages
- 12–18
- Suits
- first-time travelers
- Good for
- rural Japan
- South KoreaA 600-year-old palace beside the glass towers of Seoul, 14 days of Korean immersion with 40 hours of classes, or K-Everything, a six-day spring break program built around K-pop, K-beauty, food, and fashion.
- 2027
- 3 programs
- Length
- 6–14 days
- Tuition
- from $1,999
- Ages
- 14–18
- Suits
- first-time travelers
- Good for
- K-culture, Korean language
- FijiBased at the South Pacific Eco-Lodge at Momi Bay and on the Yasawa Islands, with about 45 service hours on sanitation, reforestation, and coral reef conservation.
- 2027
- 1 program
- Length
- 16 days
- Tuition
- from $3,995
- Ages
- 14–18
- Good for
- reef conservation, island service
- AustraliaA 14-day wildlife conservation program in Queensland: surf Noosa, kayak the Noosa Everglades, and snorkel Moreton Island.
- 2027
- 1 program
- Length
- 14 days
- Tuition
- from $6,250
- Ages
- 14–18
- Good for
- wildlife conservation, surfing
- ChinaWalk the Mutianyu Great Wall, see the Terracotta Army in Xi'an, and cruise the Li River to Yangshuo, or go inside DJI, Huawei, and BYD in Shenzhen before comparing Singapore's planned-city model.
- 2027
- 2 programs
- Length
- 13–14 days
- Tuition
- from $4,888
- Ages
- 14–18
- Good for
- history, technology
Recent season, 2027 dates pending
- NepalRafting on the Trishuli River and trekking from Pokhara toward the Annapurna Circuit, with time in Kathmandu.
- Recent season
- 2 programs
- Length
- 13–16 days
- Tuition
- from $3,795
- Dates
- 2027 not yet published
- Ages
- 15–19
- Good for
- trekking, rafting
- CambodiaHomestays with floating-village families on Tonle Sap, Southeast Asia's largest freshwater lake, while building and repairing floating homes.
- Recent season
- 1 program
- Length
- 16 days
- Tuition
- from $4,595
- Dates
- 2027 not yet published
- Ages
- 14–18
- Good for
- homestays, building service
- IndiaDelhi, the Taj Mahal in Agra, and the forts of Amer, before crossing into Nepal for rafting and Himalayan trekking.
- Recent season
- 1 program
- Length
- 16 days
- Tuition
- from $7,995
- Dates
- 2027 not yet published
- Ages
- 15–18
- Good for
- history, trekking
- MongoliaTwenty-two days from the Tuul River Valley to the Tavan Bogd mountains, living ger to ger with herding families without electricity or running water.
- Recent season
- 1 program
- Length
- 22 days
- Tuition
- from $7,995
- Dates
- 2027 not yet published
- Ages
- 14–18
- Good for
- remote expeditions, herding-family homestays
- VietnamHanoi street food, service with hill tribe communities in Hoa Binh, the Trang An grottoes, and a night on a junk boat in Ha Long Bay.
- Recent season
- 1 program
- Length
- 18 days
- Tuition
- from $5,745
- Dates
- 2027 not yet published
- Ages
- 15–18
- Good for
- service, food
School groups only or not running
- LaosFood, craft, and the local economy in Luang Prabang, the Nam Ou valleys, or elephant conservation.
- School groups only
- 3 itineraries, see school trips
- Good for
- elephant conservation, local economy
- MyanmarRustic Pathways does not currently travel to Myanmar due to security concerns.
- Status
- Not running
- New ZealandCulture and service on the North Island, a photo and cultural trip, or a South Island glacier adventure.
- School groups only
- 3 itineraries, see school trips
- Good for
- glaciers, Maori culture
Tuition excludes airfare and the $100 enrollment fee. “From” is the lowest tuition among a country’s listed programs, including sold-out ones.
Programs that visit two countries, such as Portugal and Spain, count in each country they visit. Where 2027 dates are not yet published, figures are from the most recent season.
Help Me Choose a Country Schedule a Consultation
Student travel destinations by interest
Three examples for each interest, drawn from the country list above.
For first-time travelers
- Costa Rica: sea turtle work at Camaronal Wildlife Refuge or a Spanish homestay in Turrialba, 8 to 15 days from $2,495
- Japan: Tokyo and Kanazawa on to Seoul, or a working farm in rural Akita, 8 to 14 days from $3,295
- South Korea: K-pop, K-beauty, and food in Seoul, or 40 hours of Korean classes, 6 to 14 days from $1,999
For adventure seekers
- Australia: surf Noosa, kayak the Noosa Everglades, and snorkel Moreton Island, 14 days from $6,250
- Tanzania: a Kilimanjaro climb, a Ngorongoro Crater safari, or snorkeling off Zanzibar, 16 days (recent season)
- Mongolia: 22 days living ger to ger with herding families from the Tuul River Valley to the Tavan Bogd mountains (recent season)
For service learning
- Thailand: Come With Nothing, a 23-day village service expedition with 60 service hours, from $6,995
- Fiji: about 45 service hours on sanitation, reforestation, and coral reef conservation, 16 days from $3,995
- Peru: 20 verified service hours and a four-night Sacred Valley homestay, 12 days from $4,195
