Rustic Pathways Reviews

The worst part of this trip was arrival day- too many kids in one space and we all felt very uncomfortable and awkward. There wasn't much guidance by staff on what to do or what the plan was for the day. There wasn't enough space for everyone to sit for breakfast so it became really awkward for the newbies to find a table. There wasn't much of an introduction to the base and it was not a very good start to the program. The bares had lizards all inside of them and there was evidence of other animals eating snack food- possibly rats. We also had 12 girls sleeping in our room at one time, which only comfortably could sleep 10. However, the service projects and the other activities (I did island hopping) were insane and so fun. After the ice broke with the other kids we found that we really liked each other, but some icebreaking activities on the first day instead of just a beach day would have been really nice.

By traveling with Rustic, you can always expect to have a full day ahead of you every single morning. To call the days busy would be improper because the activities and service projects you participate in are worth-while and leave an impact on you. It could be something as simple as walking around Brisbane or Mooloolaba and the other kids you meet from all around the world really help to enrich every experience. Surfing in a place like Australia is truly a one of a kind experience and I am forever thankful I got to create that memory with such amazing leaders and new friends.

The Ricefields Base and the classroom facilities for my program was absolutely great. I was definitely never hungry as there was always snacks provided. The itinerary was also contained a good balance of learning, service, and free time. Finally, the staff were extremely friendly, especially the Burmese staff.

If you want a fun, life- changing experience during your summer rather than sitting home on instagram (come on, we all know you do that;) ) then going on a rustic pathways trip is definitely for you! I participated in the Advanced Leadership Program and I am proud to say I came back a different, better person. The experience and bond I had with the little kids during the camp we ran was truly indescribable. As much as this trip was fun, it was also one of the hardest, most rewarding things I've ever done. Everyone on the trip got along well and I know I've made life long friends!

This trip was honestly the best experience of my life so far! The community service projects were definitely hard in the hot environment but it felt very rewarding. I loved teaching English to the kids who seemed go enjoy every minute of it and were very eager to learn. The ziplining and white water rafting were extremely fun and adventurous! Even just relaxing at the base house was great, talking to friends, playing soccer, and going in the pool. I met so many amazing people on this trip who will be my friends for life. This trip was an amazing opportunity that I am very happy I did!

I'm so glad I did the Rustic Pathways Advanced Himalayan Photography Workshop trip because it truly is a trip of a lifetime. Rustic takes you to places that you wouldn't normally visit with your family or even when you're older. On my trip, we saw the Dalai Lama, toured the Hemis Monestery, stayed with a Ladhki family in Ang village, and camped with nomads on Lake Tsomoriri. My family vacations usually consist of relaxing pool side at the Four Seasons so one would think sleeping in a Yurt (nomad tent) in 30 dagger weather is my idea of hell, but in fact it was one of my all time favorite trips. Don't be afraid to do a rustic trip because the leaders, kids, and places you visit are truly amazing. As cliche as this may sound, I came back from the trip with a better view of life and much better appreciation for what I have. I couldn't think of a better way to spend your summer then by traveling around India with such an incredible company like Rustic Pathways.

My daughter had a completely different time with another agency; she was miserable on this trip. First off, we were not told that she would be sleeping in tents and hostiles. She needed to pay for every trip to the bathroom, never mind that her back was killing. There is also a lot of hiking on this trip! As soon as they got off the plane they had to hike over an hour carrying their luggage. Their luggage would be stored at a nice hotel and then they needed backpack to their tent! Many of the kids were sent here by rich families as punishement for their bad behavior. Little did the parents know, there was no supervision and these bad kids would sneak out at night and go drinking. Many of their water bottles were filled with alcohol. They saw 5 tarantulas and at one point about 4 of the kids were playing with a poisonous snake and the staff said nothing about it. My daughter also had conjunctivits the whole time and many of the kids were sick. If someone hurt themselves they were basically told to suck it up. Not a good program at all. My daughter went to provide service and have a wonderful experience and now she says that she will never return to Fiji because she had the worst experience of her life. If you are looking for a place for a bad child send them here, otherwise choose somewhere else.

I went on the panda conservation trip and then the marvels of china trip. If you are thinking about doing either of these trips I would highly suggest not doing just one. For the panda trip, the focus is the conservation project and they will put you to work. You are allowed to take photos but keep in mind you are supposed to be there to help. One of the things about this trip that made it fun was that while at the panda center we worked but it wasn't hard labor and just being with your friends made the work fly by. You also don't spend the whole two weeks working which is nice. After spending 4 days at the panda center we travelled around chengdu. We saw a glacier, a tea garden, and more! The marvels trip is a little more demanding in the sense that we travelled almost everyday except when we stayed in Beijing. This trip is a little more touristy and you don't get to see much of the real country side of china. I chose this one because we got to see some of the most iconic places in the country. (For example the Great Wall and the forbidden city.) I decided to do both of these trips because the panda trip allowed me to get service hours and explore China's beautiful wilderness while the marvels trip was more about seeing China's biggest cities. I would suggest to do two trips (not nesseccarily both in china) because two weeks in a country really isn't enough time to fully appreciate all that it has to offer. Even in a country as big as china, I didn't get to see everything that I wanted to and hopefully I can go back. So while you are out exploring a little peice of the world, why not see as much of it as you can?

I went on this trip thinking i was going to help others but when i got there i realized i was also helping myself, I helped out in schools and built a home for a struggling family while at the same time i made friends that will last a life time, i clicked with the people on my trip faster than my friends at home because the people on my trip where more like me. This program is definatley something everyone should do, i came home wiser and more aware of my surroundings while knowing i helped Cambodian people. Im definalty going on another rustic trip next year -Izzy

While in the Dominican Republic, I truly got to experience how the locals live and why us going there can impact their lives. Learning about what they have to deal with daily was opened my eyes to the fact that in the U.S., people have very easy and simple lives. When our running water is shut off, even if only for a few minutes, we act like it's the end off the world. In the DR the running water is not drinkable, you can't flush toliet paper. Things like this we take granted for everyday and it's amazing to know that the people there are grateful for what they have, even though they could complain about they have to go through.