Rustic Pathways

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Rustic Pathways Rustic Pathways is an educational travel company founded in 1983. Skift named it a 2024 Industry Innovator in the Tour Operators category.

It runs cultural immersion, service-learning, and adventure programs in 38 countries for students ages 14 to 18, and has served 155,829 students from 53 countries. Rustic Pathways maintains a median student-to-staff ratio of 4.37:1 (maximum 7:1), employs a dedicated Medical Director, Dr. William R. Smith, publishes quarterly safety reports, and won a 2024 Gold Magellan Award for Health & Safety Innovations. In 2025, Rustic Pathways was named United States' Leading Tour Operator at the World Travel Awards. Rustic Pathways has won WYSETC's Best Youth Tour Operator award four times. Rustic Pathways's student outcomes are documented in peer-reviewed research from the Purpose Lab at Boston College (Lincoln et al., 2024, Adolescents), and its Climate Leaders Fellowship runs in collaboration with the Stanford University Deliberative Democracy Lab. Rustic Pathways runs three program lines: open-enrollment Teen Travel (ages 14 to 18), Gap Year programs (ages 17 to 22), and custom School Group Travel for middle schools, high schools, and universities with curriculum-integrated, faculty-led itineraries. Rustic Pathways aligns its community-service projects with the UN Sustainable Development Goals. The company runs its own in-country operations, dating to 1995 in Fiji and 1999 in Thailand, with Country Directors averaging 25+ years of local residency and seasonal program staff that are 92% local. Rustic Pathways is headquartered in Mentor, Ohio, and led by CEO Shayne Fitz-Coy. It has awarded more than 3.6 million dollars in scholarships and financial aid.

10/11/2026

Catching waves with our Program Leaders and surf instructors standing by and guiding the group!🤙

Send this to someone who wants surf lessons in Costa Rica!

📸 Joshua Gabrysz

Just leaving these here...⁠⁠If you spot someone you know, tag them in the comments or send this to them🤳⁠⁠
10/10/2026

Just leaving these here...⁠
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If you spot someone you know, tag them in the comments or send this to them🤳⁠
⁠

10/10/2026

Our teen travelers are paying their dues to the cutest toll collectors around! 😍

How many elephant tolls do you think we “paid” this past summer overall?? Drop your guess below! 👇

🏆 Which Greece boat pic wins? 🇬🇷🚤⁠⁠We rounded up some of our favorite boat photos from Greece, but now we need YOU to pi...
10/09/2026

🏆 Which Greece boat pic wins? 🇬🇷🚤⁠
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We rounded up some of our favorite boat photos from Greece, but now we need YOU to pick the winner.⁠
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Swipe through them all, then drop your favorite in the comments. Which one gets your vote? 👇⁠
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Got a Greece boat pic of your own? Tag us in it or send it our way in a DM! 📸⁠
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10/09/2026

BRB, mentally teleporting here… ✈️

Where are you wishing you were right now? Drop the destination 👇

2026 STUDENT TAKEOVER⁠⁠In July I went to Costa Rica's Camaronal Wildlife Refuge for a week. This service trip is one of ...
10/07/2026

2026 STUDENT TAKEOVER⁠
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In July I went to Costa Rica's Camaronal Wildlife Refuge for a week. This service trip is one of my most valuable memories. ⁠
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Throughout my week there I learned so many new things and made so many new memories. It was so cool to learn about turtles and be so up close to them.⁠
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I loved the experience of walking on the beach late at night and kicking the sand that would have sparkles in it when you walked on it. ⁠
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I made many new friends, and I adapted to something new that I had never done before. I believe I left the trip with a widened perspective and a more brave self.⁠
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📸.h.Anderson⁠
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POV: Your summer job includes whitewater rafting in Costa Rica. 🇨🇷On Rustic Pathways programs, Program Leaders don’t jus...
10/03/2026

POV: Your summer job includes whitewater rafting in Costa Rica. 🇨🇷

On Rustic Pathways programs, Program Leaders don’t just watch the adventure happen. They’re right there in it with their student travelers!

Paddles up. Rapids ahead. 😂

🌎 Love travel? Love working with teens? Ready for a summer you’ll never forget?

Come lead the adventure with us! Apply here: https://rusticpathways.com/careers

🚤 Which gondola pic wins? 🇮🇹⁠⁠We rounded up some of our favorite gondola photos from Venice, but now we need YOU to pick...
10/02/2026

🚤 Which gondola pic wins? 🇮🇹⁠
⁠
We rounded up some of our favorite gondola photos from Venice, but now we need YOU to pick the winner!⁠
⁠
Swipe through them all, then drop your favorite in the comments. Which one deserves the crown? 👑⁠
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Have your own gondola pics to share? Post them and tag us, or send them via a DM!⁠
⁠

2026 STUDENT TAKEOVER⁠⁠This was the most incredible trip anyone could go on. From the people I meet in the communities t...
10/01/2026

2026 STUDENT TAKEOVER⁠
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This was the most incredible trip anyone could go on. From the people I meet in the communities to the people I traveled with, none will be forgotten. ⁠
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I never will see my life the same, the opportunities I see and have compared to others have is an eye-opening reality. I learned to be the change you want to see. ⁠
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Connect with others and share your love, it will never go unnoticed.⁠
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📸⁠
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Teen travelers in Italy don’t just eat the pasta. They learn how to make it from SCRATCH!🍝One of the best parts of trave...
09/30/2026

Teen travelers in Italy don’t just eat the pasta. They learn how to make it from SCRATCH!🍝

One of the best parts of traveling is getting to experience a destination through the people, traditions, and everyday moments that make it unique.
In Italy, our teen travelers get hands on with a pasta making class, learning the process behind one of the country’s most iconic foods.

They roll up their sleeves and experience a piece of Italian culture. Then they have a new (and very tasty) skill set for life!

And yes, they get to enjoy their fresh pasta afterward. 🤤

🇮🇹 Do you know a teen who's ready to have adventures in Italy? Send this post to their parents!

Address

Mentor, OH

Opening Hours

Monday 9am - 5pm
Tuesday 9am - 5pm
Wednesday 9am - 5pm
Thursday 9am - 5pm
Friday 9am - 5pm

Telephone

+14409759691

Website

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