Rustic Pathways

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 In

novations. 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.

2026 STUDENT TAKEOVER⁠⁠Hi, my name is Lyla and I attended the Italy and Greece trip from June 23-July 8th. At first I wa...
09/03/2026

2026 STUDENT TAKEOVER⁠
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Hi, my name is Lyla and I attended the Italy and Greece trip from June 23-July 8th. At first I was really nervous about this trip and traveling with people I’d never met before, hoping I’d make friendships and learn lots of new things about these countries and I did! ⁠
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I made best friends of a lifetime that I still talk to from the trip to this day. The counselors were amazing, they were always there for me and helped me be more in the present than missing my life back home and helped me get through things to make this trip more memorable. ⁠
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On this trip I learned new things about myself that I never knew I would. This trip helped me realize the meaning and how special it is to give back to others and helped me learn to get out my comfort zone and try new things and talk to people. ⁠
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This trip was the best experience I’ve had my entire life and I will forever hold this experience in my heart!!!⁠
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Boat days. Whitewater rafting. Sahara adventures. Gondola pics. And a whole lot of “remember when we…” moments!⁠⁠Send th...
09/01/2026

Boat days. Whitewater rafting. Sahara adventures. Gondola pics. And a whole lot of “remember when we…” moments!⁠
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Send this to the group chat and see who’s ready for summer travel adventures. ✈️🌍

2026 STUDENT TAKEOVER⁠⁠Northern Italy was such a special experience filled with beautiful places, new friendships, and u...
09/01/2026

2026 STUDENT TAKEOVER⁠
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Northern Italy was such a special experience filled with beautiful places, new friendships, and unforgettable memories.🇮🇹✨ Traveling with Rustic Pathways made exploring Italy’s culture and everyday life so fun.⁠
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This trip gave me a new appreciation for slowing down and enjoying each moment. So grateful for my friends, our amazing Program Leaders, and everyone who made this experience so memorable! ⁠
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08/30/2026

Sometimes the best part of travel isn’t just the places you go. It’s the people you meet along the way. 🌎

Sometimes, it starts with something as simple as an icebreaker, chatting for a couple of minutes with someone new, asking a few questions, and getting to know each other.

Those little conversations can turn into real connections and genuine friendships.✨

See yourself or someone you know in this video? Drop a comment or send us a DM so we can tag them! 👋

08/27/2026

One summer. A million memories. 💛

The kind of camera roll that makes you smile every time you scroll back through it. 🌎📸

If you or your friends are in this reel, comment or leave us a DM and we'll tag you!

Claim it. Share it! ⁠⁠New places, unexpected moments, stepping outside your comfort zone, and finding out what you’re ca...
08/26/2026

Claim it. Share it! ⁠
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New places, unexpected moments, stepping outside your comfort zone, and finding out what you’re capable of during your high school years 👌

2026 STUDENT TAKEOVER⁠⁠Hi! My name’s Ewan, and I just got back from the Greece Island Turtle Conservation trip in Kefalo...
08/25/2026

2026 STUDENT TAKEOVER⁠
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Hi! My name’s Ewan, and I just got back from the Greece Island Turtle Conservation trip in Kefalonia.⁠
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Before this trip, I’d never travelled alone, so I was a bit nervous about meeting new people. However, right from the start, everyone was talking, and pretty soon it felt like I’d known everyone for years.⁠
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One of my favourite memories from this trip came from after a day of service. While walking back to the bus, we found a giant branch, and as we waited for the bus, we all played limbo. Our leaders put on carnival music, and everyone joined in, and it was a great time. Corny? Probably. But it was great.⁠
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Thanks to Jake, Eva, and Emma for making this trip great, along with Wildlife Sense and everyone else that went on the trip! Wouldn’t have been the same without you all.⁠
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📸 ewan_crossfit⁠ (IG)
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Reporting for duty 🐾🌎Thrilled to announce that Forest has officially accepted his position as a 2027 Rustic Pathways Pro...
08/25/2026

Reporting for duty 🐾🌎

Thrilled to announce that Forest has officially accepted his position as a 2027 Rustic Pathways Program Leader. 😂

He’s ready to supervise the students, inspect the luggage, enforce mandatory outdoor time, and make sure everyone gets enough snacks.

First assignment: TBD.
Qualifications: excellent hiking buddy, strong leadership skills, and absolutely no concept of personal space.

PS. In equally important news, we are now accepting applications for 2027 Program Leaders! Please check our linkinbio and apply!

08/25/2026

Summer with Rustic Pathways is anything but ordinary. 🌎🦈🌊

Our teen travelers spent their summer swimming with sharks in Belize, climbing cliffs, dancing until midnight, exploring new places, trying new things, and making friends from around the world.

The best part? They said YES to experiences that pushed them outside their comfort zones!

Safe to say, this summer was one for the books. ✈️✨

Check out our 2027 dates in our linkinbio. We are READY!

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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