Rustic Pathways Reviews

My experience with this program was pretty good. I was very exited to go one this trip however, I did not know much about it! I was disappointed to some degree because I was very exited to speak lots of Spanish, talk to tons of locals and learn about the government of this country but that was pretty limited.

An excerpt from my travel journal:
It has been exactly 4 months since I have been with my favorite people in the world and in the best country, Costa Rica. Not a single day goes by where I don't think about my incredible journey and the lessons I learned on it. It is heart breaking that my memories are slowly fading with everyday that passes. I will always have my journal and photos to remind me that home is not a place, but a feeling. This is exactly how I felt on my trip in Costa Rica and I hope you are lucky enough to feel that way too.

I did Rustic's Surf and Service trip. It was the best experience of my life. The counselors were amazing, I they feel more like a friend than a superior but are still 1000% responsible. The food was amazing and had options for everyone. I'm going to be honest, I did not get along with everyone on my program, but one of the great things is that does not matter at all. It is your choice who you surround yourself with. The activities we did were awesome. I did not have any surfing experience and I was fine, so was everyone else who didn't. The service was actually one of my favorite parts. We did beach clean ups, built houses in a small community, built recycled trash cans and painted signs. We did 14 hours all together it was really manageable, I actually wanted to do more! It was also really fun practicing my spanish, but don't worry if you don't know spanish, you don't need to know any because they counselors are all fluent. Also, if you're parents are concerned about safety, there was a body guard on my trip at the beach and at night. I felt safe the entire duration of my trip. My only complain about the program is no one tells you how much is sucks to leave your friends :( No matter what trip you chose and with whatever travel company make the most out of your trip, it truly is a once in a lifetime opportunity.

When I went to Thailand I was very scared because I knew no one. As I arrived on a Son-thaow I was welcomed with open-arms. All the staff were so kind and the Burmese staff make the trip. Day-to-day we work hard with having AM and PM services which range from 2-3 hours per shift. Every service project has a purpose to improve the lives of the Thai people whether its teaching them english or making them lunches. Being on a base camp makes you feel very safe and at home. I shared a room with 6 Girls which is an experience of its own. Throughout my trip I made amazing friends and amazing experiences. I highly recommend traveling with Rustic Pathways.

I traveled with Rustic to Costa Rica this past summer in program Bribri. This was a truly life-changing experience. I was humbled in seeing how these impoverished yet content people lived. The Bribri people were nothing but pleasant and embraced us as their own. There were nine other girls on my trip and we all grew to be a close-knit group of friends. Our counselors were beyond excellent with their humor and personalities all the while keeping safety and unanimous happiness a number one priority. Our service work required physical strength and was difficult but quite rewarding. We were constantly dirty, sweaty, and hot but personally that didn't affect me all that much (we were in the jungle after all). If Rustic didn't offer so many other amazing travel opportunities, I would return to Costa Rica with them in a heartbeat.
The only problem that stands out was the fact that the website did not include rain/mud boots on the packing list and those are essentials. Also, being plenty of garbage bags because your luggage will get wet and your clothes will get dirty! This program is not for those who dislike dirt and mud but that almost becomes part of the fun.
Overall, this was a wonderful first Rustic experience and I look forward to Thailand this summer!!

I went to Costa Rica with Rustic for two weeks, Intro to Community and Maleku. It was by far the best experience I have ever had. All the people and counselors were so nice, and the work we did was amazing. There are some harder, more physical trips than others, but in the end it all works out. I didn't want to leave Costa Rica, the whole experience was a eyeopener and really changed my views on the world. I would go back any time, any day if I could. Overall, Rustic Pathways Costa Rica trips are the most amazing thing I have experienced in my life.

I participated in the Soccer and Service program in La Paz, Costa Rica. Going in, I was nervous because I knew nobody in the program and I'd never done anything like this. It took no longer than ten minutes at the airport to meet friends and talk to people. As far as the actual program itself, it was just as inclusive. Our activities included practices for about 2 1/2 hours most mornings at a beautiful local field surrounded by rolling hills and coffee farms. We'd then either work on our community service projects (either improving a school or helping create a medical clinic) or do some other activity like hiking. Each student stayed with a family of the La Paz village. We were treated to huge, delicious meals three times a day that I miss here in the US. The families were amazing and made sure to help each student feel welcome and comfortable on the trip. There were the exciting things like zip-lining that got the heart rate up but everything was just as fun when you were surrounded by new friends and a breathtakingly beautiful country. The amazing program guides I had made the trip so much fun and inclusive for every member. This was truly one of the best weeks of my life. 100% worth the money which is why i'm returning to try the Surf and Service program next year in Costa Rica.

I went on my first rustic pathway trip as a senior in high school and it was the most eyeopening thing I could ever do. I ended up changing my major in college and am now looking for more opportunities like these to participate in in the future. Their staff is friendly and made me feel safe and that I was actually making a difference, while having loads of fun at the same time. It might be a bit on the pricey side but it is definitely worth it. Wish I was able to attend more of these trips before college.

Hi my name is Joey. This summer I went on a RP trip called Big Fiji Explorer. The activities were amazing and so were the people. I made friends that will last a lifetime. I enjoyed every second of this trip even the plane ride! We went to the highlands, to the beach, zip lining, white water kayaking, staying at resorts, scuba diving, and much more. I would recommend this trip to anyone. This definitely backs up Rustic Pathway's new statement "Travel changes everything". This trip definitely changed me and I would go back any day. Rustic Pathways is also super helpful when coordinating the trip, whether it is figuring out your schedule, coordinating flights, having allergies, etc. Big Fiji Explorer, so far, was the best experience of my life. I would not change anything during that trip.

This trip was a life changing experience. The staff was amazing and I still stay in touch with some of them. Together as a group we dug trenches and laid piping for the town to have an aqueduct. This was hard work, but the staff made it fun the whole time and allowed us to take numerous breaks making it bearable. It was amazing to see how thankful the community was and how much work they put into our project. The next day we were the leaders of running a camp for the kids. This was hard because the counselors stepped back and gave all the responsibility to us. This was amazing because you form a bond like no other with these kids. Not being able to speak the language you are forced to communicate in different ways. One of the little girls did my hair and put flowers into it, something that wouldn't usually happen in the United States. After long days of service we would have free time which was so fun and helped us build friendships, playing cards and banagrams after a long day of working in the dirt was so fun. The trip was the perfect balance between learning about the Dominican Republic culture and helping a community in need. The sights we saw such as beaches and waterfalls were one's I will never forget. The counselors taught us history of the DR and taught us their traditional dances that we were able to perform the last night when we had a going away type party. Everyone's ability to give up technology even when we were in areas that it was available made the experience so rewarding. This is an experience that I will never forget, and the friendships I made were amazing. I still stay in touch with over half of the people from my group.

I traveled to Fiji with Rusic Pathways in the summer of 2013. It was the experience of a lifetime. The journey began with landing in the airport, and immediately getting rushed to a boat to take us to our island destination. On the boat ride I met travelers from all over the world. The island we stayed at was beautiful. It had really nice people, and the food was amazing. We slept in tent-huts which weren't the most comfortable, but when you're in Fiji, who cares, right? We went scuba diving, and saw many types of tropical fish. We were able to snorkel amoung manta rays and observe just how huge they are. We went on a magnificent morning hike and saw the sun rise from the highest peak of the island. If was truly breathtaking. As a vegetian, I never felt confined to what I could eat, because the cook accommodated to my needs very easily. Later on the trip we went back to the main island and were able to shop at local markets and buy delicious treats. We hiked to a waterfall where we were able to relax in the pool at the base and admire our surroundings. We also walked to a beach with black sand, and then took a boat ride out to see Dolphins jump in and out of the blue ocean waters. Honestly, it was the best trip of my life.