Rustic Pathways Reviews

I participated in two programs in Laos. The first being Mystical Caves and Shamans, the second was Sticky Rice.

MYSTICAL CAVES AND SHAMANS.
This program was incredible. I cannot stress it enough. It opened my eyes to the world around us. We stayed in the base house where we were sleeping on mats under mosquito nets; I still miss my mosquito net... Every morning we would wake up and after breakfast begin work on our service project. During my trip our service project was building a volleyball court for the village. I definitely enjoyed experiencing building something from scratch. As we went to the river to gather rocks and sand so we could make concrete, we were required to push the tractor back up the hill because the road was too slippery. The laughs exchanged were definitely a highlight. After lunch we would do an activity such as teaching kids, visiting a cave, seeing a shaman, going to a waterfall, etc.
I would definitely recommend this trip to all students looking for a unique way to experience Laos in its true beauty. And I will probably do this program again because it was so extremely amazing.

STICKY RICE
This program is for students who are looking for a more touristy experience in Laos.
We flew into the city Luang Prabang where we stayed for three nights doing things like visiting temples, monks, waterfalls, markets, etc. Then we took a three hour drive to a village called Nong Khiaw where we stayed two nights. There we kayaked, hiked to a waterfall, did service work (painting a school and teaching children), and swam in the river.
This program is not as Rustic as Mystical Caves and Shamans, however still enjoyable.
We stayed in hotels the entire time and had the luxury of western toilets the entire trip.
Though I would not do this program again due to its lack of Rustic-ness, it was still an enjoyable program.

In a nutshell, Laos was the most incredible country I have ever visited. I do plan on returning. The programs I chose have opened my eyes to the world around me. I am so fortunate to have chosen these programs.(:

We helped the local community in the morning by helping build a house, collecting rubbish and creating garbage cans with recycled water bottles; in the afternoon, we learned how to surf. Special activities such as rafting, repelling, yoga lessons and boat trips were organized, to make us have even more fun. After two weeks of staying in Costa Rica in the Service and Surf program, I spent the last day crying because I wanted to stay there forever. I had never had so much fun, I made great friends as well as helping others and learning how to surf. The house we stayed in felt so much like home, the food was wonderful, the counsellors were always there when you needed any kind of help. It was one of the best experiences in my whole life.

I was in the Marine Environmental monitoring group during summer 2013 and this was my first big overseas trip without my family. Let me tell ya, it was amazing. The staff were very welcoming and made me feel like I was right at home! Heck, when we arrived in the Somosomo village on Naviti island, the Fijian staff were all on the beach singing and waving us in! Everyday we did something exciting that we knew was going to leave an impact, whether it be doing reef checks or planting mangroves, we always had a blast! One of the best parts of the trip though was spending time in the village and making so many new friends. The people are amazing and they are so thankful for everything around them that it makes you just feel happy all the time! I know I will be staying in contact with the friends that I made there and I'm so glad that I chose this trip and I can't wait to go on another trip next year!
On a side note- the Marine and Green programs stayed on a remote island in a small base camp (less than 10 freaking steps from the beach!) and not at the Eco lodge. So, if you're expecting some 5 star hotel, with electricity and a pool and such things, I would recommend a trip that stays at the Eco lodge! (But the small island base camp is still my first choice!)

On the "You A Roo and Australia Zoo" trip, I experienced the daily tasks of a zookeeper and learned several things about the animals. It was a mix of work, rewarding encounters with the zoo animals, and a little bit of city sightseeing as well. I was surprised with how many animals i got to hold or feed, such as a koala, python, echidna, kangaroo, wombat, rhino, and a lemur! The croc show in the crocosseum is also a sight I will never forget.

I had an amazing time on my trip! Everything was very well organized from the very first day. We stay at a very rustic " tree house on the ground" on the western coast. Each nigh we would search the shores for eggs and turtles and during the day we would dig in the hatcheries and pull weeds. In free time we could play games, rest in hammocks, or go " extreme wading" (which was really swimming but there is a strong riptide so we weren't actually allowed to swim) I had an amazing time and so did the rest of my group. I would recommend this for first timers and returning Rustic members

Truly amazing experience, wouldn't replace it for anything. It made me more aware of how I want community service to be a bigger part of my life. The people are so kind there, and it made me realize how fortunate I am. The rustic pathways staff was very friendly and welcoming; I always felt safe and knew I could talk to them about anything.

This trip was a lot of fun. The first 2 days of the trip, I hated it because i didn't know anyone and the service work was pretty annoying but then i realized that its good to give back to people and we started touring costa rica. its a beautiful country and the people are super friendly and laid back. my councellors were super nice

The Surf and Service experience is the best of both worlds. Spend your mornings surfing and afternoons providing service to the local community. If your looking for a way to gain service hours while still having lots of fun and adventure this program is for you.

This trip was fantastic, it was a great way to practice some spanish, and experience a whole new world. I really enjoyed it, and everything was great. Accommodations, surfing, food, zip-lining, just amazing. Honestly, this was the best week of my life, I was able to spend it with some really amazing people, who I am still in contact with!

Be sure to think carefully on your program. Someone who signs up for a service project is going to be a different type of person than one who would sign up for a purely fun trip. Truly one of the most rewarding programs I have ever been on. Two years later and I still keep in touch with people from my trip!