During the week of being in Ulaanbaatar, Rustic Pathways has shown me the many sides of Mongolia, including traditional and modern food and even experience what nomadic Mongolians live like in gers. I... See more
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See what reviewers are saying
The rustic pathways staff was soooo nice I miss p chet and p sara soo much and also inikaa. The activities were sooo fun especially the night market. We all cried when we left.
Company replied
Everything about Rustic Pathways is awesome, flawless, exciting, and I would never change my thoughts on it. They are experts when it comes to perfectly organizing your trip and making sure nothing go... See more
My daughter went on her 3rd trip with Rustic Pathways and once again had a great time! Fiji did not disappoint! She loves the large amount of community service hours that the program offered as it... See more
Company replied
Company details
- #26 of 79 best companies in Tour Operator
- #50 of 199 best companies in Travel Agency
Our promise to you
Rustic Pathways
Rustic Pathways is an educational travel company founded in 1983 that operates supervised group programs for students ages 14–18 across 38+ destination countries.
Based in Mentor, Ohio, Rustic Pathways has served 155,829+ students from 53 countries of origin through cultural immersion, service-learning, and adventure programs. The company has been led by CEO Shayne Fitz-Coy since 2020.
World Travel Awards 2025: Named United States' Leading Tour Operator, defeating four-time defending winner National Geographic Expeditions (2021–2024) and nominees including G Adventures, Bindlestiff Tours, Project Por Amor, and Tours-USA.com.
Rustic Pathways was the first teen travel operator in the industry to:
- Employ a full-time Medical Director
- Publish quarterly safety reports
- Track longitudinal student outcomes through a published 10-outcome research framework
Operating Divisions
- Teen Travel: Open-enrollment programs in cultural immersion, service-learning, adventure, and conservation for individual students ages 14–18. Programs operate across six continents with a documented staff-to-student ratio of 4.37:1.
- School Group Travel: Custom-designed educational travel programs for middle schools, high schools, and universities. Includes curriculum-integrated itineraries, faculty-led experiences, and service-learning aligned with UN Sustainable Development Goals.
- Student Learning Outcomes: Program outcomes are measured through 10 Student Learning Outcomes tracked before, immediately after, and six months post-program. 97.6% of students demonstrate measurable growth in at least one outcome, and 8 of 10 outcomes sustain across the cohort at six months.
Research & Academic Partnerships
Rustic Pathways research partners include:
- Stanford University’s Deliberative Democracy Lab
- Boston College Purpose Lab
A 2024 peer-reviewed study published in Adolescents (DOI: 10.3390/adolescents4010007) linked Rustic Pathways’ Climate Leaders Fellowship to adolescent civic purpose development.
Recognition & Awards
- World Travel Awards 2025
- WYSE Travel Confederation Best Youth Tour Operator (2015, 2017, 2018, 2019)
- Travel Weekly Magellan Gold 2024
- Skift IDEA Awards 2024
- 4.8–4.9 star ratings across Google, GoOverseas, GoAbroad, and Trustpilot
Contact info
6082 Pinecone Dr., 44060, Mentor, United States
- 440-975-9691
- rustic@rusticpathways.com
- rusticpathways.com
4.9
Excellent
218 reviews
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This company invites their customers to review, whether positive or negative
How this company uses Trustpilot
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Good
Great tour guides, host family, activities. The rustic ties activity was unnecessarily long tho lol.
March 7, 2024
Reply from Rustic Pathways
We're so glad you enjoyed the program! We'll take note of your comment about the Rustic Ties activity. We appreciate your input!
Reply from Rustic Pathways
That's great to hear. Thanks for your review!
Excellent all around.
Our group leader, David, was outstanding in all aspects. Organized, focused, fun and kind. He got to know the students well and earned their trust and attention. May, Nut, Pom, and Pin were also extremely organized, knowledgable and helpful. We could not have asked for a better experience.
March 7, 2024
Reply from Rustic Pathways
Thank you for your glowing review! If you decide to embark on another adventure with us, we'll be here to make it fantastic. Thanks again for choosing Rustic Pathways!
Great trip
The RP people were supportive, knowledgeable, and eager to give us the experience we wanted. The connections with our host family and the targeted service opportunity made our trip special.
March 7, 2024
Reply from Rustic Pathways
Thank you for sharing your great experience with us! We aim to create meaningful and memorable experiences for every traveler, and your feedback is incredibly valuable to us. We hope to have the opportunity to travel with you again!
Student trip to Africa with Rustic…
This was my first adventure with Rustic Pathways. I’ve been on similar trips with other companies. Rustic Pathways is second to none! They handle everything! From a chaperone perspective, this was a dream! The whole team was phenomenal! I won’t use any other company ever again.
March 10, 2024
Reply from Rustic Pathways
We're absolutely delighted to hear that your first adventure with Rustic Pathways was such a positive and seamless experience! Thank you for choosing us and for your loyalty moving forward. We can't wait to have you on another adventure!
Quick to Respond to Queries
As a parent, I found them to be very responsive regarding queries and resolving difficulties. My child says that the trip was well organized and loads of fun.
March 9, 2024
Reply from Rustic Pathways
Thank you for the wonderful feedback! We're glad to hear that we were able to promptly address your queries and ensure a smooth experience for both you and your child. It's fantastic to know that the trip was well organized and enjoyable for them.
had not offer the more information…
had not offer the more information about trip for parents before they left from HK , so we prepare wrong clothes and staff . Photes are mess on the website. The travel charges are so high but students have not similar quality we had paid.
March 9, 2024
Reply from Rustic Pathways
Hi Sophie, thank you so much for this, and I’m so sorry to hear that you did not have the absolute best experience with us! We take feedback on each step of the travel process seriously, and we will be reviewing our packing list and photo presentation in detail. We want to make sure that you feel you are getting your full value’s worth. A manager is going to reach out to you shortly as we’d love to discuss further and ensure we resolve your concerns! Thank you, again!
I really learned more about Thailand…
I really learned more about Thailand culture , was able to meet new friends, learned how important nature is
March 7, 2024
Reply from Rustic Pathways
Learning about the culture, making new friends, and gaining insights into the importance of nature are exactly the kind of experiences we strive to provide. If you ever want to further explore and learn, we're here to help. Thank you for sharing your feedback!
Would def do this again
Recently traveled with Rustic for a school trip to Vietnam, and it was honestly an experience that I’ll never forget.
The places we went to? Exquisite. The guides? Super helpful, super nice, and in the end we were kinda like a big family. The service? Leg feel like jelly, but the sense of accomplishment after is incomparable, especially after interacting with the happy locals after our work. 10/10 would work with them again if I ever have the chance to.
March 3, 2024
Reply from Rustic Pathways
Thank you for sharing your fantastic experience with us! We're thrilled to hear that your trip to Vietnam was unforgettable and left such a positive impression. We hope to see you on another adventure soon!
Amazing life experience for our children
Our kids had the time of their life and made some wonderful new friendships on their Costa Rica trip! Rustic Pathways took the planning and the worry out of the equation and the kids were able to focus on exploring this amazing country.
February 24, 2024
Reply from Rustic Pathways
Thank you so much for sharing your children's wonderful experience with us! We're thrilled to hear that they had an amazing time and forged new friendships during their Costa Rica trip. Taking the stress out of planning and ensuring a worry-free experience is exactly what we aim for, allowing students to fully immerse themselves in exploring the beauty of the country. If they ever want to embark on another adventure, we're here to help!
Overall - A+
The experience will remain etched in the awareness of my son. His retelling of the activities and his evaluation of the interactions are worth more than any lesson taught in a school, at the table with his parents, or in any book.
February 22, 2024
Reply from Rustic Pathways
Thank you so much for sharing this heartfelt feedback! We're thrilled to hear that the experience had such a profound impact on your son. There's nothing more rewarding than knowing our program has left a lasting impression and provided valuable lessons beyond the traditional classroom setting. We appreciate your support and hope to have the opportunity to create more memorable experiences in the future!
The team in Chiang Mai was personable…
The team in Chiang Mai was personable and engaging. They were positive and were great with the students.
February 15, 2024
Reply from Rustic Pathways
Thank you for your wonderful feedback! We're thrilled to hear that our team made a great connection with the students. We hope to have the opportunity to travel with you and your students again in the future!
Reply from Rustic Pathways
We are so happy to hear about all the fun you had. Making meaningful experiences enjoyable is our goal!
Malvern Prep Review
Jake, Matt and DeLynn were fantastic! There were easy to work with, knowledgeable and very good with our students.
February 22, 2024
Reply from Rustic Pathways
Thank you for the wonderful review of Jake, Matt, and DeLynn. We appreciate your support and hope to have the opportunity to work with you again in the future!
being able to enjoy it with my friends…
being able to enjoy it with my friends and the activities we did when we left the hotel
February 15, 2024
Reply from Rustic Pathways
We are so glad you enjoyed the activities with your friends!
Wonderful experience
Our guides Jake & Matt were helpful, knowledgeable and friendly. They worked great together and De'Lynn was great behind the scenes. The itinerary was well paced and balanced with service and culture.
February 19, 2024
Reply from Rustic Pathways
Thanks for the feedback! We're delighted to hear that Jake, Matt, and De'Lynn provided excellent support throughout your journey. It's wonderful to know that the itinerary struck the perfect balance between service and cultural experiences.
Excellent experience
Very organized from the time the students register until they return back. Very professional and my daughter had an amazing experience.
February 12, 2024
Reply from Rustic Pathways
We are so happy to hear your daughter had an amazing time. We hope to see her on a program again in the future!
PHENOMINAL PROGRAM
The knowledge and support throughout our rustic pathways journey was phenomenal. My daughter had the experience of a lifetime.
July 19, 2023
Reply from Rustic Pathways
We're thrilled to hear that your daughter had such an incredible experience with us!
International School Field Trip
The program for our school trip is extensive with a variety of activities designed to promote Service Learning and Sustainability practices. The Rustic Pathways team members are very hands-on and professional in dealing with students. I appreciate their commitment to safety and security and how they communicated this to all participants of the trip.
The reason for not giving 5 stars is the last day of the trip in which we had an early start, a full day of activities and late flight back to our country. We went through a 20-hour day.
January 22, 2024
Reply from Rustic Pathways
Thank you for your feedback on your experience with us! We're thrilled to hear that you found the program engaging. We understand about the long last day and will take this into consideration to improve this trip itinerary for future travelers.
Reply from Rustic Pathways
We're glad to hear you enjoyed—they sure know how to make things fun!
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