My son traveled with Rustic Pathways to Costa Rica for two weeks (two different, back to back programs). He had a great time, had life changing experiences and came home to report it was one of the best experiences of his life. He made lifelong friends and I can't wait for him to return! read more

I can only share my experience in case it can be useful to any parent that is considering Rustic Pathways as an option.... Don't. Rustic Pathways is -in theory- an attractive concept: cultural immersion in a foreign country tied with community service. Unfortunately, weather or not the experience ends up being a good one depends on a mix of variables: the size of the group, the types of kids that end up attending, and the capability of the guides assigned to supervise them. All these factors are unknown ahead of time and it all becomes a leap of faith. Our family learned the hard way that this company lacks consistency in their vetting capabilities. Therefore, any given trip is like rolling the dice. My son first went to their program in Bali and had a great experience, which led us to sign him up the following year to a program in Thailand. The second ended up being disastrous. The group was detrimentally small, only 4 more kids. The age disparity was significant and unfortunately my son was on the younger side. He was paired with a much older roommate that continuously smoked pot and ended up providing it to the rest of the group. They would smoke at the hotel they were staying at under the alleged supervision of the guides. To make matters worse, during a day trip to the market, the same kid bought marihuana there. Again, the guides where in close proximity all the time yet remained oblivious. Only 4 days into the trip, our son called us he was having a hard time with the peer pressure. We immediately found a way to get him on a flight back home. I spoke to the regional director and warned them about what was going on. After all, more than half of the trip remained for the rest of the group. I made them aware of this particular kid that was providing pot to the other kids. To my surprise, they refrained from removing this kid from the trip, concealed this information from the rest of the parents and allowed the trip to go on as if nothing was happening. The only other time I heard from them was when I received a bill for additional expenses. Forget about any conversation about reimbursement, not even partially. I was left feeling very disillusioned but mainly disappointed at myself for having placed my trust in this company. I wanted my kid to be exposed to a new culture and in return he got exposed to pot for the first time. Their lack of response was irresponsible. I kept thinking about the other parents that never found out about this. Unfortunately, I didn't know who they were or how to contact them. read more

Do Not send your family anywhere with this company. It was a nightmare experience. Also the insurance they carry with not cover any cost, it's in house and a complete SCAM read more

I've traveled with Rustic Pathways on several programs - most recently to Costa Rica. It was a super fun trip, and I found their guides to be really professional and flexible. Always responsive to the needs of my students (and me!)! read more

DO NOT DO BUSINESS WITH THIS COMPANY.  Rustic Pathways (https://rusticpathways.com/) and their private equity owners, Sabot Family Companies (https://sabotfamilycompanies.com/) refused to refund and then held $5000 of our money hostage for 18 months, even after they had cancelled our child's trip and received a refund from the supporting airline. The overall experience with Rustic Pathways was terrible and led us to believe that they may be in financial distress and basically using current customers' payments to fund their operations, causing them to run short of money for students' trips. They: - Required payment in full a year before the trip - Refused to cancel the trip even when the destination country shut down all international travel due to the Covid-19 pandemic - Refused to refund portion of price attributable to airfare, even after the airline had provided refunds to them - Were unable to provide evidence of airfares having even been purchased when they claimed that they had been - Committed in writing to a full refund, and then refused to provide it - Offered to refund only 30% with the rest to be refunded in 1-2 years - Ultimately held our money hostage for 18 months before making a full refund We have a lot of sympathy for small businesses during the pandemic, but this is a company whose founder/CEO was found to have sexually coerced staff members and was later forced to put the company into a trust before selling it. The current owners, Sabot Family Companies, are described by Rustic Pathways' own staff online as "arrogant, manipulative, and micromanagers". Buyer beware - if you give your money to Rustic Pathways today, it may be used up before you ever get the trip that was booked. read more

Great program! I was just with Rustic Pathways in New Orleans and we had a fantastic program. The service was really varied and meaningful. The fun activities gave us the local feeling and flavor of New Orleans - catered to students! Well done. read more

The absolute worst experience for my daughter. The bullies on the trip were never talked to, infact they were prioritized and favored them. Girls told everyone they hated my daughter and the counselors could have cared less that it was like being on Mean Girls x100. Spoiled rich kids and counselors who were rude, punitive and did not create a safe environment. Over priced, not enough equipment and watch out for all the extra charges for activities. I would never ever wish this on my worst enemies child. I have never felt so helpless and should have brought her home. Do not send your child. I would give a zero if I could. read more

When I went on trips with Rustic Pathways back in high school, it was a very fun time, which is why I kept going back. I do sympathize with the other folks who did not get their money back. I did not think much of it at the moment when they offered only voucher forms of refund because I genuinely thought I would go back again when I got the chance, but COVID was just brutal. I have a voucher worth of $5820, and I am willing to sell it for $3000. Please let me know if anyone is interested. I had tons of fun in my Fiji and Australia trips. read more

Absolute worst company!!! My son was left abandoned in less than 24hrs. We were contacted by who we believed to be a guide there with my son to finding out later he was admin over funds in Ohio. He let on as if he was there with the group. He let this go on for 2 days before we directly asked as things were not adding up. It was a nightmare trying to arrange flights, hotel, and transportation to airport, as well as food and water. Patrick make promises to send someone over to bring food water and never delivered. Then he said he would now but only after we sign the waiver to not try to get a refund. This should be zero stars. This was supposed to be a trip of a lifetime and ended up being a disaster. Great Marketing and Horrible Company read more

These people are thieves pure and simple. Do not trust them with your child or your money! We paid 3.5k for a trip that was cancelled due to covid 19 and they refuse to refund any amount of money. Stay clear of these people. read more

I am extremely disappointed with Rustic Pathways. I wouldn't utilize their services again if they were the last company on Earth! I signed up my high school senior for the March 2020 Fiji trip with Rustic Pathways. When the Coronavirus began to spread around the world I asked Rustic Pathways to cancel my sons trip and refund the several thousand dollars we have paid them. They refused to repay one penny of what I have paid. For an organization that is supposed to be an advocate for high school students I believe they are hypocritical and lack any kind of integrity. read more

I am having the same experience as the others who posted here. I am extremely disappointed with Rustic Pathways. We signed up my high school son for the Summer 2020 Costa Rica trip. The trip was cancelled due to the Coronavirus and I asked Rustic Pathways to refund what we have paid them. They refused to repay one penny. For an organization that is supposed to be an advocate for underserved communities, they are hypocritical and lack any kind of integrity. Stay far away! read more

I am extremely disappointed with Rustic Pathways. I wouldn't utilize their services again if they were the last company on Earth! I signed up my middle school for the June 2020 Costa Rica trip with Rustic Pathways. Trip was cancelled due to the Coronavirus began to spread around the world and I asked Rustic Pathways to refund what we have paid them. They refused to repay one penny of what I have paid. For an organization that is supposed to be an advocate for high school students I believe they are hypocritical and lack any kind of integrity. read more

I traveled with rustic pathways twice while I was in high school and I loved both of my trips. I went alone but ended with friends that I still talk to today. The experiences I had during my trips taught me things and change my perspective on many things. My first trip was to Australia, it was also my first time out of the country. The second I got home and I started searching for another trip I could go on next summer. This started a traveling craze I have now. I went to Australia 4 summers ago and now I've traveled somewhere new every summer since then. I would recommend rustic to anyone who wants my opinion. It can be scary traveling alone but know that everyone else is just like you. Everyone is in the same boat. I'm too old to travel with rustic now but I if I could I would never stop traveling with them. read more

Rustic Pathways - Travel Agents Near Me - Mentor, Ohio

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Be very careful before you give this company to send your child on a trip. They are unresponsive to emails and phone calls. They cancel with notification. How would you know if something were to happen to your child while away when they do not contact you. read more

I only wish that I had read these reviews first. Absolutely concur with the disappointment and theft of money paid for a trip cancelled by coronavirus. One would hope the company we entrust our children too would know that integrity and reputation is critical to sustaining their type of operation. I read elsewhere about a class action lawsuit against them - please comment if you have further details. read more

BEWARE!!! I can not speak to their practices pre or post COVID but my experience has been terrible. I agree with others when they say please beware when planning a trip. My son was slated to go on a trip at the height of COVID and was unable to travel due to travel restrictions. Rustic Pathways has refused to give us a full refund. They have offered options such as a virtual trip for $3000!!! This is the same price they charged for him to physically take this trip. I have reached out to multiple staff, spoke to them on the phone, and reached out to Sabot Family Companies and am hoping to hear from someone. I've also filed a complaint with the BBB. Proceed with caution and I'm hoping that Rustic Pathways will make things right for many of the families that are navigating this unfortunate process with them. read more

My daughter went to Australia with Rustic a few years ago and had a fantastic trip. She went skydiving and overcame her fear of helping those with illness and disabilities. Fabulous! My son went last summer to Nepal and the previous summer to Peru. Both trips with Rustic for him were great. This summer my son is going to Tanzania and Mongolia for a total of 50-60 hours of community service. As a "frequent flyer" with Rustic his trips are at a discount. As his mom I told him he could go with other Student Tour Companies if he wanted to but he chose to stay with Rustic - fine with me! read more

Really disappointed that we are refused a refund for a 2020 summer trip that is not happening due to pandemic. None of the good/services businesses that have had to cancel have had such a poor response to customers in our experience. Actually, all of the large and small businesses that had to change course due to global shutdown have taken appropriate and responsible actions. Other businesses have given a no hassle refund.. because obviously when you don't get what you paid for, then you get a refund. Not so for Rustic Pathways. Cash flow problems of this business are solved by keeping the travel funds of families with kids that will be staying home. read more

My recent experience with Rustic Pathways was disappointing as this was my first experience with this company. The school that my teenager attends used Rustic Pathways in the past for school trips and the reviews were positive. When the opportunity presented itself to my teenager to travel, I signed up. Then COVID happened. The trip was postponed at first (just to wait and see what was possible in 2021) and there was no physical trip. The company will not offer a partial refund. I paid a LOT of money and my student does not travel and does not get the chance to travel (she is now a senior in high school) but Rustic Pathways gets the benefit of my money. I am not without understanding - the travel industry took a hit during the COVID pandemic - no question. In some way we all have, but to hold my money for a service you cannot provide nor can my student benefit from is just wrong. read more

It disappoints me that I have to even have to write this. My daughter travelled with them in 2019. She had a blast. An absolute blast. When the opportunity presented itself for her to travel again, I signed up. Then COVID happened. Trip was postponed at first (just to wait and see what 2021 would look like) and there will be no trip again. These folks will not offer even a partial refund. Paid a bunch of money, my daughter does not travel, does get the chance to travel (she's senior in high school) but they get the benefit of my money? I am not without understanding - the travel industry took a hit during COVID - no question; in some way we all have. But to hold my money for a service you can't provide nor can my daughter benefit from, is just plain wrong. read more

Very disappointed that there is no refund for a class trip to Costa Rica that had to be cancelled due to pandemic. Would not suggest any schools book with this company. read more

My child attended the Intro to Community Service in Costa Rica. She loved the 'busyness' of this trip, she heard from other participants that other programs had a lot more down time. She also loved the service aspect of the trip and especially loved the Rustic staff onsite in Costa Rica. read more

my experience with rustic was one I'll never forget. Traveling has always been a passion of mine but I think traveling with a program like rustic is something everyone should experience! Not only does it open your eyes but it also opens many doors to the things that your able to do that if you were to travel with your family you wouldn't be able to experience. I 100% recommend this program and will be doing another one next summer!!! read more

My 17-year-old daughter just returned from a trip to Costa Rica for Turtle Conservation. I was very impressed with all the information and support given by Rustic Pathways prior to the trip. When she arrived and sent me photos of her accommodations, I could not believe what I was seeing. She was housed in a literally falling-down bunk house, with holes in the walls open to the other rooms and the outside, no protection from the elements. There was mold in the walls, clearly visible. The bathrooms were "too gross to even go into" and this is a girl who has traveled the world and been in some pretty rough bathrooms. The coaches did not speak good English and the food was not remotely nutritious or delicious. We were expecting 'rustic' but this was ridiculous. When I contacted Rustic Pathways, their response was fabulous; the man I spoke to totally owned it and said the Turtle Conservation was definitely their 'roughest' accommodation because it is a Ranger Station. This should have been made clear to us when we chose it. He offered to move her into another program with better accommodations but she decided to stick it out. Different coaches arrived who spoke better English. On the last day they ran out of water completely - no drinking, showers or toilets. She came home mildly traumatized, with hundreds of mosquito bites, wasp stings and red ant stings, and woke up in the night crying for a few nights but that has dissipated. She is definitely afraid of bugs now, which has never been an issue before. I have no doubt that her experience will offer great benefit to her in the future as she literally lived a Third World life for 8 days and that perspective can only inform and activate both her gratitude for her First World life and compassion for those who don't have ready access to the comforts we enjoy in the United States. She also has the knowledge that she can withstand some pretty rough conditions! Going off to a college dorm room next year will have a completely different feel in light of this experience. Overall I am satisfied with Rustic Pathways - and I think they should have given us more of a head's up about what she was in for. read more

We are also very disappointed that they are refusing to refund us - even the paltry 30% of what we paid. We continue to get the runaround and evasive emails saying they are working on it. The continuous runaround speaks volumes about how they are dealing with this and the lack of integrity they have for their clients. Those vouchers are worthless, by the way. read more

WOW is all I can say at how UNPROFESSIONAL this company is. Ive called several other companies and they are ALL giving refunds. Whats with Rustic Pathways? So far their defense is that they have not cancelled their summer programs yet. I guess we wait and see? read more

Be careful!!! Company showed little if any concern for our children well-being when faced with the coronavirus. My daughter was going to Thailand on the March 13, 2020. Even though the government had started to limit the travel in and out of Thailand, Rustic Pathways refused to cancel the trip and give us a refund. They keep thousands of dollars the girls had paid for this trip For a company that is suppose to be a service organization, they showed no character or integrity. I wouldn't trust them with my worst enemy!! read more

My daughter went to Fiji, New Zealand, and Australia with Rustic Pathways this past fall. She had an amazingly fun time! It was a very fun and dynamic group of students accompanied by young adults as chaperones. I liked how Rustic Pathways promoted the ADVENTURE part of the tour. My daughter went skydiving, bunjee jumping, white water rafting, scuba diving, and more! She is an adventure seeker and at 17 she was allowed to participate in all activities except going "out" at night with the other kids. She was disappointed by this but understood the circumstances for having to stay "in". She needed medical care while on the trip and that was handled professionally as well. I definitely recommend Rustic Pathways for any 17-21 year old adventure seeker! read more

My daughter just got back from the Dominican Republic on a Rustic Pathways trip. I did not know what to expect but it was amazing. She learned a ton, volunteered a lot, and had so much fun. She met kids from all over the country and really bonded with the group. The accommodations were clean, safe and comfortable. The staff was great. read more

I was so nervous to go on this trip but I am so glad I did. Before going I was nervous that because I was only 15 and not going with a friend that it wasn't going to be fun. But I am so glad that I did. The intro to community service trip in Costa Rica was the best trip ever. I made some of the best friends I could have ever imagined. The trip was a mix of community service, fun activities and nature. I could not have imagined how amazing the zip lining would be. It was amazing. The base house was very clean and the chefs that came to cook were great. The staff were all so fun and really wanted to get to know you. Overall the trip was super safe. This was one of the best weeks of my life. PURA VIDA. Thank you rustic pathways. read more

My daughter came home from her trip to Australia and her first sentence to us was," I loved Australia, but I would never go on another Rustic trip." We were told that there was a limit of 10 students per trip however on my daughter's trip there were 8 students from China and 5 from the US. The students from China did not speak much English. Do to the language and cultural barrier the students were divided into two groups most of the time. read more

I went to Costa Rica for 16 days this past summer and did 2 community service activities. I love the ways Rustic personnel guide you through the whole travel process, and I love the sense of community promoted by Rustic Pathways. I enjoyed the service activities and the ways in which we were stretched out of our comfort zone, but not so much that we wanted to leave! Rustic Pathways Costa Rica was an adventure that I wish I could always be a part of. Getting to serve the community and the environment was just as amazing as the adventure activities we got to engage in, including ziplining, rafting, canoeing, and kayaking. 10/10 recommend for anyone looking for a good time while being a responsible traveler! read more

I did 3 different trips in Thailand that were all so different yet amazing in their own way. Rustic pathways was extremely professional and amazing throughout the entire time and the program leaders were always amazing. They did their best to make sure I was happy throughout my trips. Additionally, when I was sick and needed medical attention throughout my trip, they were always extremely attentive, responsible, and professional. Although there are a lot of companies for students traveling abroad, I think rustic is a special company that provides you with a better experience than all others. My brother did two programs with two other companies, and the comparison is clear. Rustic pathways is for sure the best company to travel with. read more

I called Rustic and was going to enroll my daughter in the Sea Turtle one in Costa Rica. On the phone on my initial call they made me pay them the full amount. Not a deposit. Then I had three days to fill out the enrollment forms. A couple of hours later something came up and we realized she could not go this summer. It wasn't possible. I called Rustic at 8:00am the next morning - about 12 hours after I gave them the money and explained the situation. The woman I spoke too assured me it was alright and they would refund my money. I called them 2 more times each a week apart and each time they said they would refund the money and they never did. I paid them $2699.00. I don't know what the other $200 was for. I finally reported them to my bank as fraud. The bizarre part is that I never handed in the paperwork, I never enrolled her but they have my money. So until the BofA gets my money back, I am ripped off. So next year when my kids do get to go overseas and do service work I can assure you it will be with a more reputable company. read more

Amazing Thailand was such a great trip and I would do it over and over again if I could. The food was amazing. My favorite part of the trip was the treehouse because it was a new experience that you can't get anywhere else. I honestly think that everyone should going on Rustic pathways because it was the best thing and I know that A lot of my friends from home we're going on rustic pathways trips and all came back with a smile. One of my friends in camp told me to go on a trip about a year ago and I thought that was a good idea and it was. I met so many new people so many new cultures it was great I would do it again I know I've said this 1 billion times but I would do it again. My favorite temple was the white temple because it was super modern and I had everything from minions to Harry Potter. I even got a little postcard signed by the artist. Have a good day and I say you should go to Thailand today. And don't forget elephant pants. Also I did this weird fish thing I'd like to petitioning to go to the US because it felt weird but it was funny it was great basically think about fish tickling your feet ha ha ha ha. Have a great day. read more

My daughter went on the turtle adventure. I have to say for the amount of money which we paid for the trip the accommodations could have been a lot better. I understand where it was, but even in the overnight stays in PR it was unacceptable. The room and bathroom/showers in which she stayed in Costa Rica was bug infested and the beds were filthy! Some even had blood on them. I have to say it absolutely made her appreciate what she has at home even more so. I only gave this 2 stars because she did enjoy digging up the turtle eggs, meeting new friends and the 2 days of free time they had. read more

I cannot even begin to list all the reasons why you should go on a Rustic trip. I have been to Costa Rica, Thailand, and Morocco with Rustic and I can confidently say that the 6 weeks total that I've spent on Rustic trips were some of the best and most impactful weeks of my life. I met some life long friends who are similar to me, yet I can learn from all of their different backgrounds and cultures. With Rustic, you are able to experience countries as insiders, not just tourists- you'll go places you'd never be able to go on your own, meet people you'd never have met, and help people you'd never have known needed your help. The trips really do change your perspective of the world and of other cultures and people. Make sure to go into with the right attitude and be open to anything!! This is the only way I can try to explain the impacts of a Rustic trip: if you picture your world (your town, school, friends, experiences, thoughts, etc) as a puzzle, you are a piece in that puzzle. When you go on a Rustic trip, you learn so much and gain new perspectives, and your experience changes you- so when you go back home, the shape of your puzzle piece is different now and you don't fit quite the same as before in your world. You are a truly changed person. This is my experience with Rustic, and I wouldn't trade it for anything. I know that who I am today was partially shaped by my trips with Rustic Pathways, and I will forever be thankful for them!! read more