Hawaii: Surf, Snorkel, and Service

Kona: Students will stay on a ranch for their time in Kona. There are two houses used exclusively for the Rustic Pathways group with bunk rooms, standard bathrooms, kitchens, living rooms, and lots of outdoor space! Rooms will be separated by gender.

Rustic Pathways works with local community leaders and organizations to identify and prioritize the needs of each community. Please note that while we try our best to ensure we provide our advertised projects, some changes may occur due to the communities and project partners we work with.

Food Security: Students will be working on a variety of projects that relate to the overarching theme of food security and sustainability on the Hawaiian Islands. Students will work outside on garden projects learning about native and imported species. They will also partner with the local food pantry to contribute to packing food boxes for members of the community.

This program involves adventure activities, service, and sports that require students to be physically active. Students will also spend a great deal of time in the water snorkeling, swimming, and surfing.

We will try many local Hawaiian dishes – there are a lot of delicious traditional and fusion options. We will also be cooking more typical American foods like pasta, sandwiches, burgers, etc. Students will help to prepare meals as a team with their leaders many days.

Dietary Requirements/Food Allergies: We can usually accommodate vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free and other common dietary requirements/ allergies on this program. Please make sure to include this in your medical form so that our staff can prepare and we always recommend bringing along some of your own favorite snacks!

The tap water in Hawaii is safe to drink! Don’t forget your reusable water bottle!

Temperatures will typically range between the low 60s (at night) and high 80s (during the day), depending on what part of the island we are on. Rain showers are common!

Flights: Students will fly in and out of Kona International Airport (KOA). We provide time windows for arrival and departure and our team will be there to meet your student at the airport.

Visas: Students traveling with Rustic Pathways on passports not issued by the United States are responsible for determining their own visa requirements.

Internal Travel: There are no internal flights on this program.

We encourage students to disconnect while on their Rustic Pathways program. We will provide photo updates to families every day through your My Rustic portal. That being said, we understand that students and parents may want to stay in touch throughout the program. Students will have access to cell service at some point each day. They will not have access to wifi during the program.

Personal gifts, internet, phone calls, and snacks are not included. All other costs (accommodation, meals, in-country transportation, and activities) are included in the program price.

We recommend $150 per week to cover souvenirs and incidentals. We highly encourage students to change money to local currency prior to their departure date. Any money that needs to be changed back is best done in the airport on the return home.

Laundry will not be provided on this program unless in an emergency. Please pack accordingly.

During service, students should wear long layers, like hiking pants and light weight long sleeved shirts. Students should not bring shorts for these activities as we will be hiking through brush during service and it’s important to protect skin from plants, thorns, sun, bug bites, and heat. There will be beach time as well, where students will be able to wear t-shirts and shorts.

Ensuring the safety of your teen as they travel with Rustic Pathways is a top priority. Please review our Health and Safety measures.

Our Travel Protection Plan helps protect our participants, their belongings, and their travel investment in those unforeseen circumstances that may arise during travel. Learn more about the plan offered through our partner.