Rustic Pathways Adventure Student Travel Programs are supervised 8- to 23-day trips for students ages 14 to 18. Activities include hiking, snorkeling, surfing, rafting, rock climbing, zip lining, and biking.
Choose from nine programs in Costa Rica, the Dominican Republic, Fiji, Peru, Thailand, and Hawaii. 2027 Adventure program tuition ranges from $1,995 to $6,995, excluding flights to and from the program, and every itinerary includes a service component.
Public health service and adventure in the Caribbean
Temples, beaches & elephants
Service and immersion in the Andes
Remote village service expedition
Island splendor and eco-service
Perfect start to service adventures
Village service and island life
Catch waves and make an impact
Fieldwork to save sea turtles
Select View Dates on a program card to see 2027 departure dates and current availability.
Compare Rustic Pathways’ nine 2027 adventure student travel programs by their primary activities, service commitment, duration, and tuition.
| Program | Adventure activities | Duration | Service hours | Tuition |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dominican Republic: Beachside Service | Surf at Playa El Encuentro, snorkel in Sosúa Bay, and visit Isabel de Torres National Park. | 8 days | 15 hours | $1,995 |
| Costa Rica: Pura Vida Service | Raft the Sarapiquí River, zip line through the rainforest, and maintain trails near Arenal Volcano. | 8 days | 16 hours | $2,495 |
| Costa Rica: Turtle Conservation Project | Complete nighttime sea turtle patrols, take surf lessons, and go snorkeling. | 8 days | 26 hours | $2,895 |
| Hawaii: Surf, Snorkel, and Service | Surf on the Kona coast, snorkel from a catamaran, and stargaze from Mauna Kea. | 8 days | 12 hours | $3,395 |
| Costa Rica: Surf and Service | Learn to surf at Playa Avellanas, zip line through the rainforest, and complete beach cleanups. | 8 days | 12 hours | $3,495 |
| Fiji: Sun, Sand, and Island Service | Hike the Sigatoka Sand Dunes, snorkel during coral conservation work, and travel to the Yasawa Islands. | 16 days | 45 hours | $3,995 |
| Peru: Sacred Valley Service | Visit Machu Picchu and go mountain biking, paddleboarding, and zip lining in the Sacred Valley. | 12 days | 20 hours | $4,195 |
| Thailand Adventurer | Rock climb in Krabi, raft the Mae Taeng River, swim at the Sticky Waterfall, and snorkel from a longtail boat. | 16 days | 8 hours | $5,495 |
| Thailand: Come With Nothing | Raft the Mae Taeng River, train in Muay Thai, and complete infrastructure projects in northern Thailand. | 23 days | 60 hours | $6,995 |
Students should compare the activities, physical demands, program length, and service focus before choosing a trip.
Water-focused options include surfing at Playa El Encuentro and snorkeling in Sosúa Bay in the Dominican Republic, as well as rafting on the Sarapiquí in Costa Rica or the Mae Taeng River in Thailand. Peru combines mountain biking, paddleboarding, and zip lining. Thailand Adventurer includes rock climbing, rafting, swimming, and snorkeling, while Thailand: Come With Nothing includes rafting and Muay Thai.
Physical demands vary by program. Water-focused itineraries may involve swimming, snorkeling, surfing, or rafting. Peru includes activities at altitude in the Sacred Valley, Fiji includes hiking, and Thailand Adventurer includes rock climbing and rafting. Individual program pages list applicable swimming, mobility, fitness, and participation requirements.
Programs combine adventure with community or conservation work, with approximately 8 to 60 service hours per program. Projects include community infrastructure, trail maintenance, beach cleanups, coral reef conservation, and sea turtle monitoring. Service hours and project activities vary according to program and local partner needs.
Five programs run for 8 days. Peru: Sacred Valley Service runs for 12 days. Fiji: Sun, Sand, and Island Service and Thailand Adventurer run for 16 days. Thailand: Come With Nothing runs for 23 days. Students should compare the time away, travel pace, and number of transfers when considering program length.
Regardless of a program’s activities, service focus, or duration, Program Tuition covers the same core inclusions.
All Rustic Pathways adventure programs include accommodation, scheduled meals and transportation during the program, scheduled activities, gratuities, Program Leader supervision, and 24/7 emergency support.
Flights to and from the program, the enrollment fee, travel insurance, medical insurance, passport and visa fees, and health costs are separate. Rustic Pathways requires every participant to carry medical insurance with coverage in the destination country, and strongly recommends travel insurance.
Detailed inclusions and exclusions are listed on: what’s included and not included in Rustic Pathways programs.
Once families understand what they’re paying for, they can review how Rustic Pathways assesses risk and manages safety on adventure programs.
Rustic Pathways manages safety on adventure programs through trained Program Leaders, vetted third-party activity providers, ongoing safety training, and detailed incident reporting.
Activity demands differ by itinerary. Individual program pages list applicable swimming, mobility, fitness, and participation requirements.
Activities vary by program and include surfing, snorkeling, hiking, whitewater rafting, rock climbing, zip lining, biking, wildlife monitoring, and marine conservation work.
Requirements vary by itinerary and may include swimming, mobility, fitness, or activity-specific participation requirements. Each program page lists its applicable requirements.
Trained Program Leaders supervise students throughout the itinerary, while carefully vetted third-party providers lead technical adventure activities and outdoor programming.
Yes. Rustic Pathways logs all reported behavioral and medical incidents and publishes quarterly safety reports.
The Program Tuition for Rustic Pathways’ 2027 adventure programs ranges from $1,995 to $6,995. See what is included in adventure program tuition.
Yes. Every Adventure program includes a community service or conservation component. Projects may include infrastructure work, trail maintenance, beach cleanups, coral reef conservation, or sea turtle monitoring.
Rustic Pathways Adventure Student Travel Programs run from 8 to 23 days. Five programs run for 8 days, Peru: Sacred Valley Service runs for 12 days, Fiji: Sun, Sand, and Island Service and Thailand Adventurer run for 16 days, and Thailand: Come With Nothing runs for 23 days.