Program Reviews

This trip was incredibly impactful, not only on the communities we were serving, but on me as well. Going to Thailand has always been on my bucket list, so when I saw that Rustic Pathways, a company I had previously traveled with to Australia, I was so excited. The base house we stayed at was in a rural village outside of the city Udon Thani, so we got to experience village life in our own compound. This trip was extremely rewarding. We completed different service projects every day (except for the weekend when we went to Laos for some fun) alongside of native Thai children and adults. If you go on this trip, be prepared to work, but it will be the most rewarding, impactful, and life changing experience. You play in Thailand as well with a huge pool at the base house, playing soccer with the local kids, mall excursions, and a muy thai lesson. Some of the service projects we did were building concrete walkways for monasteries and schools, cooking meals for families in the village and at a hospital, painting the walls outside a monastery, and teaching kids and teens English. To me, the most eye-opening service we did was bringing food to a hospital for the families of sick people to eat while they take care of their loved ones due to the deficit of doctors. The grateful looks I received from those people is something I will never forget. In the moment on this trip, you may be challenged and tired, but this trip will change your view point and leave you with a newfound gratefulness for the life you live.

Laos was my favorite place I have ever been. Luang Prabang is one of the most beautiful places I have ever been. The community in this little town is so welcoming and the kindest people in the world live here. While I was here I gotta feed the monks, one day we took a boat to caves and got to explore them and learn about past history. It was amazing to listen to all of the history and how the caves where founded. In order to get to the caves we took and 2 hour private boat ride down the river and saw wild elephants on the side of the river. This river that runs through Laos in the Mekong River. Luang Prabang is in the mountains of Laos and is kind of like a little village. Not only did we get to experience the caves we also went to waterfalls and got to swim in them. The waterfalls in Laos are blue lagoons with crystal clear water with little fish. It was amazing to see the waterfalls and wildlife surround it. Our guide in Laos was so welcoming and introduced us to many different people in his community, every is welcoming here they feel like family. One night we hiked to the top of a temple and watched the sunset behind the mountain and it was the most beautiful scenery I have ever seen.

Rustic Pathways in the Dominican Republic was the single greatest experience of my life. I worked on a project where the entire group consisted of girls in a community that was very oriented on men doing the labor work. At the end of our trip and the last day of service, we sat with the community to talk about our time there. The men helping us on our project talked about how impressed they were with our work and how as the only group of all girls, we got the most work done of any other group. Every part of Rustic Pathways embodies unity and trust. I couldn’t think of a better way to spend my summer than working with Rustic Pathways. No community or program will ever compare to the experiences and memories that come from going on one of their programs.

Upon arriving at the airport, we had no idea where we were going until they printed our boarding passes which left the trip as a true mystery. Every day we would wake up to a new activity or a new town and would have no idea what future days would be like. Every day was different and exciting in its own way. This also led to a super cool group of kids that were up for anything. Every night we would bond over where we thought we were going next, or what the next activities would be. The mystery trip truly took me out of my comfort zone and for two weeks I truly lived in the moment without worrying about what was going to happen in the future. I got to enjoy every day to the fullest. I think on other trips, you have one memory or something you are looking forward to the most, but on the mystery trip, I got to enjoy every moment. The staff is also super unique on this trip. Overall, I loved the on-the-go and living in the moment that I experienced on this trip. Also, because it was new to the staff, Rustic Pathways, and all of us, we were all learning and experiencing things together. I'm so glad I picked this trip, I had the best time. The Rustic Pathways Mystery Trip is so unique and one of the best things I have ever gotten to do.

The best part of travelling with rustic to Mongolia was that I really felt I was completely immersed in the culture and in the experience itself.
The landscape, the food, the locals, the weather, the tradition and the staff made Mongolia have a taste completely different from everything that I tried before.
The staff made sure we were entertained and that the group was getting along well. On top of that, each evening we would have a deep conversation amongst the group guided by the staff to make sure we were making the most out of the experience we were having for our personal growth. That’s why I felt that this experience was really eye-opening for me.
Since Mongolia is a country that is difficult to visit by yourself, I was really glad that we had an itinerary that really gave a glimpse of what Mongolia really is.
Overall, a unique experience that now has become a treasured memory.

My trip offered a unique opportunity to not only explore the Fiji Islands, but learn about the current climate change crisis and how it is affecting these islands. Seventeen other girls and I snorkeled, swam, and talked about environmental issues throughout the duration of the trip. I got to meet wonderful people and do once-in-a-lifetime activities. Along with the people on my trip, the locals made it even more special. The village of Somosomo housed us for many days and nights, putting tasty food in our stomachs, songs in our heads, and memories I will have in my mind forever. They made it feel like a true home, and I cannot wait to go back. My trip leaders through Rustic Pathways spoke to us about different species of animals that live amongst us on the Fiji Islands. Learning about the marine life and their habitats that we would be swimming in was a very cool experience. Seeing sharks, manta rays, seahorses, and removing Crown of Thorns, an invasive species, expanded my knowledge of the oceans and reefs immensely. Thank you Rustic for making my summer so special!

The most amazing part of this trip was the service work. Every night we went on night walks to find turtles crawling up on the beach to lay their eggs. On the first night, I got the chance to catch the turtle eggs as the turtle was laying them. This experience was life-changing because I was able to interact with wildlife on an extremely intimate level. This provided a more authentic perspective than learning from a textbook.
Another highlight from the trip was learning about the Costa Rican culture and community. We went on side trips which allowed us to learn about native food, agriculture, and customs. My favorite part about the Costa Rican community was the Pura Vida lifestyle. All the people that we interacted with were so friendly, welcoming, and easygoing.

I did the Summer Camp Leadership program and I absolutely loved this trip! It was my second Rustic trip and it exceeded my expectations by so far and made me love these trips even more. Travelling by myself, although sometimes nerve-wracking (especially travelling internationally without a group), was really enlightening in terms of responsibility and independence. The trip itself was the perfect combination of service and adventure. I really enjoyed doing adventure activities (like the ziplining, kayaking, and rafting) interspersed with the service. Additionally, doing the rafting trip immediately was so much fun because it allowed everyone to bond and have to work as a team straight away and it took away some of the awkwardness of the first meetings. In terms of the service, I was surprised and glad that the planning and running of the summer camp were completely up to the students, and our leaders only got involved when we needed them or asked them. I really appreciated this because it made us get the most out of the experience.

My first Rustic trip was on August, 2019 and it was a wonderful, amazing, and unique experience. Obviously I was scared at first but when I met the staff and my group, all those nervous feelings left since they were such great people. Everyone that goes on these trips and programs have one thing in common, and that is learning from and helping others. I figured this out since you never would feel alone because everyone was willing to help others. I learned so much from my new friends, from the people in the community we did service at since they were so encouraging and helpful with every aspect of the service we did, and also from my leaders. I believe that this was definitely one of the best trips of my whole life so I would recommend it to anyone who is willing to go on a Rustic program.

I have been on 6 Rustic trips, and they keep getting better every year. The way the trips mix community, fun activities, and the culture of the country is amazing. I went on the Mystery Trip this summer and getting to go to both India and Nepal opened my eyes to how different the world truly is. The way Rustic allows you to meet new people and become life long friends is my favorite thing about Rustic. As amazing as it is to travel, the trip is made by the people and the leaders who are on the trip. And because Rustic does such a good job with getting great people to lead, it makes it all the better. I would HIGHLY recommend Rustic Pathways to anyone who would like to try something new, grow as a person, and meet new people. It is truly magical.