Costa Rica Budget Culture Trips & Packages Tours & Trips

73 Costa Rica Budget Culture Trips & Packages trips. Tours from 28 tour companies. 316 reviews.

73 Trips match your criteria (21 - 40 shown)

Quest for Pura Vida
Save this trip to your favorites or other list
Small Group Tour
Lodging level
Standard - 3 star
Physical level
Easy
Trip pace
Balanced schedule

Highlights

  • Explore the cloud forests of Monteverde and the Arenal Volcano
  • A personal journey to find your own Pura Vida
  • Visit Tortuguero National Park

Themes

Nature & Wildlife, Family Friendly, National Parks

What travelers are saying

"We particularly wanted to do this trip because of the abundance of wildlife we expected to encounter and selected this ship because they offered the kayaking experience. Overall, the weather was very good. Most people seemed like minded and were there for the adventurous experience. Accommodations Review They upgraded our cabin and we were very pleased with the amount of space and the amenities in the room. We appreciated the twin windows and being able to see humpbacks diving from our cabin. It was kept very clean and it was a treat to have our bed turned down with chocolates on the pillow each night. Meals Review We liked the variety and the quality of the food. There was always something new to try. The dining room staff was very professional and personable. Crew & Guides Review Solon was our Principal Trip Leader. He was incredibly professional and it seemed like he was constantly working to maximize the encounters with wildlife and scenery, taking advantage of all the weather opportunities and going to places that they don't often go. He worked very closely with the captain who was very accommodating and caring about us having a memorable voyage. Aymie and Andrew were our kayak guides. We went out to kayak 10 different times and were able to get to know both of them well. They worked hard to keep us safe and well informed. They made sure that we didn't miss out on any land excursions. We've had quite a few kayak guides over the years that we've paddled and we loved these two. Marla was the marine biologist aboard the ship. She was very enthusiastic and had a passion for marine mammals that was infectious. We loved listening to her presentations and looked forward to hearing her voice on the PA saying that there was another whale sighting. Colin, the geologist aboard the ship, was very knowledgeable and able to make difficult subjects understandable to the passengers. Itinerary Review The trip far, far, far, far, far, far exceeded our expectations. I had one "far" in the sentence when we left South Georgia Island after seeing 250,000 King Penguins at St. Andrews Point and added the second when we saw blue whales on two different days. The third "far" was added when we saw hundreds of whales for 6 hours along the iceberg, A68a. I added another "far" when we kayaked for over an hour with humpbacks all around and another "far" when minke whales were all around the kayaks the next day. The last "far" was added the day we didn't paddle since a leopard seal was all around the kayaks and then an orca came close. We had so many incredible experiences that we could never experience all of them in the same trip again. The guides told us that the close encounters that we had didn't happen very often and that we were very lucky that they all happened on our trip. The only thing that we didn't like was portions of the Drake Passage when it was a tad rough, but that experience gives us something to talk about. Transportation Review We made our transportation arrangements through another travel agency. Traveler Advice Make sure that you take sea sickness meds. Take advantage of every opportunity to see wildlife."

Trip dates & details
Save this trip to your favorites or other list
More
Costa Rica Family Adventure
Save this trip to your favorites or other list
Group Tour
Lodging level
Standard - 3 star
Physical level
Moderate
Trip pace
Balanced schedule

Highlights

  • Explore this geologic wonder of Costa Rica
  • Hike through the Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve
  • Visit the town of Santa Elena

Themes

Nature & Wildlife, Family Friendly, Birding, National Parks

What travelers are saying

"We particularly wanted to do this trip because of the abundance of wildlife we expected to encounter and selected this ship because they offered the kayaking experience. Overall, the weather was very good. Most people seemed like minded and were there for the adventurous experience. Accommodations Review They upgraded our cabin and we were very pleased with the amount of space and the amenities in the room. We appreciated the twin windows and being able to see humpbacks diving from our cabin. It was kept very clean and it was a treat to have our bed turned down with chocolates on the pillow each night. Meals Review We liked the variety and the quality of the food. There was always something new to try. The dining room staff was very professional and personable. Crew & Guides Review Solon was our Principal Trip Leader. He was incredibly professional and it seemed like he was constantly working to maximize the encounters with wildlife and scenery, taking advantage of all the weather opportunities and going to places that they don't often go. He worked very closely with the captain who was very accommodating and caring about us having a memorable voyage. Aymie and Andrew were our kayak guides. We went out to kayak 10 different times and were able to get to know both of them well. They worked hard to keep us safe and well informed. They made sure that we didn't miss out on any land excursions. We've had quite a few kayak guides over the years that we've paddled and we loved these two. Marla was the marine biologist aboard the ship. She was very enthusiastic and had a passion for marine mammals that was infectious. We loved listening to her presentations and looked forward to hearing her voice on the PA saying that there was another whale sighting. Colin, the geologist aboard the ship, was very knowledgeable and able to make difficult subjects understandable to the passengers. Itinerary Review The trip far, far, far, far, far, far exceeded our expectations. I had one "far" in the sentence when we left South Georgia Island after seeing 250,000 King Penguins at St. Andrews Point and added the second when we saw blue whales on two different days. The third "far" was added when we saw hundreds of whales for 6 hours along the iceberg, A68a. I added another "far" when we kayaked for over an hour with humpbacks all around and another "far" when minke whales were all around the kayaks the next day. The last "far" was added the day we didn't paddle since a leopard seal was all around the kayaks and then an orca came close. We had so many incredible experiences that we could never experience all of them in the same trip again. The guides told us that the close encounters that we had didn't happen very often and that we were very lucky that they all happened on our trip. The only thing that we didn't like was portions of the Drake Passage when it was a tad rough, but that experience gives us something to talk about. Transportation Review We made our transportation arrangements through another travel agency. Traveler Advice Make sure that you take sea sickness meds. Take advantage of every opportunity to see wildlife."

Trip dates & details
Save this trip to your favorites or other list
More
Costa Rica: Leaving My Footprint
Save this trip to your favorites or other list
Self-Guided / Independent Tour
Lodging level
Standard - 3 star
Physical level
Easy
Trip pace
Flexible schedule

Highlights

  • Visit to Obras del Espiritu Santo
  • Full-day Maleku Reserve Tour
  • Volunteer Program Tour at Proyecto Asis

Themes

Local Immersion & Homestays, Relaxing Retreats

What travelers are saying

"All was awesome"

Trip dates & details
Save this trip to your favorites or other list
More
Custom Designed Trip
Lodging level
lodgingLevelName
Physical level
N/A

Highlights

  • Fully customized trip based on preferences
  • Matched with a local specialist
  • From $200 per person per day
Self-Guided / Independent Tour
Costa Rican Adventure: White Water Rafting, Zip Lines & Snorkeling
Save this trip to your favorites or other list
Self-Guided / Independent Tour
Lodging level
Standard - 3 star
Trip pace
Flexible schedule

Visits

Monteverde

Highlights

  • Pacuare River white water rafting and lunch
  • Half-day Sky Adventures Park (Zip line)
  • Evening Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve Tour
  • Half-day Catamaran Ocean King Tour, with lunch

Themes

Nature & Wildlife

What travelers are saying

"All was awesome"

Trip dates & details
Save this trip to your favorites or other list
More
Costa Rica Family Vacation
Save this trip to your favorites or other list
Self-Guided / Independent Tour
Lodging level
Standard - 3 star
Trip pace
Flexible schedule

Highlights

  • Sarapiqui River Floating Safari Tour
  • Evening visit to Baldi Hot Springs, with dinner

Themes

Nature & Wildlife

What travelers are saying

"All was awesome"

Trip dates & details
Save this trip to your favorites or other list
More
Costa Rica 360
Save this trip to your favorites or other list
Self-Guided / Independent Tour
Lodging level
Standard - 3 star
Trip pace
Flexible schedule

Visits

Guanacaste, Monteverde

Highlights

  • Want to stay longer? You can extend this trip up to a total of 9 days!

Themes

Nature & Wildlife

What travelers are saying

"All was awesome"

Trip dates & details
Save this trip to your favorites or other list
More

Unlock Community Benefits

Travel better together

  • Save favorite trips and itineraries
  • Get insider insights
  • Receive personalized recommendations
  • ... and much more
Join community
Natural Costa Rica
Save this trip to your favorites or other list
Self-Guided / Independent Tour
Lodging level
Standard - 3 star
Physical level
Easy
Trip pace
Flexible schedule

Visits

Arenal Volcano, San José

Highlights

  • Want to stay longer? You can extend this trip up to a total of 7 days!
  • Shared Full-day Tortuga Island Tour, with Light breakfast, Lunch, Cruise & Tour
  • Shared Full-day Arenal Volcano & Local Hot Springs Tour

Themes

Nature & Wildlife, Local Immersion & Homestays, Relaxing Retreats

What travelers are saying

"All was awesome"

Trip dates & details
Save this trip to your favorites or other list
More
Costa Rica Explorer
Save this trip to your favorites or other list
Self-Guided / Independent Tour
Lodging level
Standard - 3 star
Physical level
Easy
Trip pace
Flexible schedule

Visits

Guanacaste

Highlights

  • Arrive in Costa Rica's capital San Jose and tour a few of the city's highlights including the neoclassical Teatro Nacional.
  • Watch thousands of turtles nest at Tortuguero National Park, then tour its canals and village!
  • Explore the secret waterfalls and rainforests of Bajos del Toro, one of the most beautiful areas in the country.
  • Hike, bike, and see the elusive Resplendent quetzal bird at Arenal Volcano and its national park.
  • Learn to surf in Guanacaste, a northwestern province on the Pacific known for its pristine beaches and perfect waves!

Themes

Nature & Wildlife, Local Immersion & Homestays, Relaxing Retreats

What travelers are saying

"All was awesome"

Trip dates & details
Save this trip to your favorites or other list
More
Travelstride Gift Card
One card, thousands of extraordinary trips
Gifts Card

Costa Rica Budget Culture Trips & Packages Reviews

G

Gloria DawnFowler

Mar 2025

Written on

Costa Rica Adventure

The itinerary was perfect. We enjoyed everything offered!. We really enjoyed getting to know the local people on the river . Our driver, *Personal details remove...

A

Anonymous

Oct 2018

Great wildlife!

Great to see so much great wildlife on a cycling trip (it was the reason we took the trip). Be prepared however if, like us, you are used to cycling along quiet ro...

A

Anonymous

Oct 2018

One of our best trips ever.

This was an amazing experience. The cycling was moderate on mostly quiet, smooth roads with some hills. The bikes were good quality Scott hybrids with disc brakes....

A

Anonymous

Mar 2018

Wayne Maxwell

We had a great trip and would recommend it highly. Our guide Roberto and his team looked after us all extremely well and nothing was too much trouble. Roberto was ...

A

Anonymous

Mar 2018

Costa Rica Coast to Coast Cycle Ride

Just back from a wonderful time in Costa Rica. All in all I could not recommend the trip highly enough. The cycling was fantastic, our tour guide and support staff...

Write a Review

Always Find the Best

On Travelstride you can find 73 trips to Costa Rica Budget Culture Trips & Packages and more than 20,000 trips worldwide ranging from budget to luxury and private guided to group tours and everything in between. Only on Stride can you find and compare expert-planned trips from 1,000+ tour operators, cruise lines and local experts. Read traveler and professional reviews so you can confidently find your perfect trip.

Top Tour Companies on Travelstride:
All 1,600+ companies >
Sign in to reveal savings up to $700 per person!