12 Cheap (and Exciting) Costa Rica Adventure Packages

Livin la pura vida! With lush mountains, crystalline waters, and endless beaches, the pure life is a perfect description of all that Costa Rica has to offer. What better way to experience that magic than by exploring cheap Costa Rica adventure packages? Whatever adventure you desire, you can find it in Costa Rica.

Costa Rica is a treasure trove of affordable adventures — and gorgeous views.

Keep in mind, Costa Rica is one of the more expensive countries in Central America, so “cheap” is a relative term. But let’s be honest, when you’re investing in the adventure of a lifetime, you almost can’t go wrong!

One of the best ways to save a bit of money without sacrificing any fun is to find Costa Rica adventure packages with a volunteer project. That way, you can combine doing a bit of good with the adrenaline-rushing activities you don’t want to miss.

On your Costa Rica cheap vacation, you can save the turtles and zipline through the jungle, or care for big cats while making time for kayaking in the Caribbean. With mountains, jungles, and seas (oh my), adventure awaits around practically every corner in Costa Rica.

Here’s a sneak peak at some of the best cheap Costa Rica adventure vacation packages according to explorers like you:

12 cheap Costa Rica adventure packages

Editor’s note: This information on cheap Costa Rica adventure programs was accurate at the time of publishing. Please refer to each individual program for current data.

1. Surf, Scuba, Raft & Hike in Costa Rica & Panama (Ages 14-18) — 10

Are you ready to get your adventure on? Outward Bound Costa Rica is not for the faint of heart — it will test your limits and change your life for the better. Designed for high school students, one of the best parts is that there’s flexible options, and you can choose from one of five programs. Or, you can combine them to create the ideal cheap Costa Rica adventure vacation package! Whatever you decide, every day you’ll be learning new skills and making bonds that last a lifetime.

Who? Under 18
Where? Arenal, Bribri, Cartago, Dominical, Guanacaste, Manuel Antonio, San Ramon, Talamanca
Price per week? ~$1500
Activities? Backpacking, camping, hiking, rafting, rainforest tours, scuba, sea kayaking, snorkeling, surfing, trekking, and more!
Read Outward Bound Costa Rica reviews

2. Costa Rica: Language, Leadership, La Pura Vida, & Sea Turtle — 9.78

Cheap Costa Rica adventure packages with Global Works always combine thrill seeking with service projects and language learning with local connections. If you’re a high school student interested in learning Spanish, living with a family in a culturally immersive homestay, and engaging in community service in between bungee jumps and ziplines, then this is the program for you. You’ll experience the sun, sand, and surf while making meaningful connections!

Who? Under 18
Where? Arenal, Cartago, Guanacaste, Heredia, Monteverde, Puntarenas, San Isidro del General, San Jose, Tamarindo, and more!
Price per week? ~$2000
Activities? Camping, climbing, eco tours, ecology, rafting, rainforest tours, snorkeling, sports, surfing, yoga
Read Global Works reviews

3. Costa Rica: Biodiversity, Ecology & Sustainability — 9.68

Join a group of high school students from around the world on a cheap Costa Rica adventure vacation package from The Experiment in International Living. On your month-long journey you’ll learn about conservation in a remote biological station and mangrove system that you’ll explore via zipline and hiking.

The adventure won’t end there! You’ll also have the opportunity to learn about local culture through museums and markets, homestay, and Spanish lessons. Don’t fret, there will be plenty of time for sea kayaking, surfing, and turtle conservation while you rack up 45+ hours of purposeful community service.

There’s nothing quite like getting your hands dirty and experiencing a new culture while making new friends and living in one of the most beautiful places on earth!

Who? Under 18
Where? San Jose and rural areas
Price per week? ~$1400-1600 (4 weeks for $6320)
Activities? Eco tours, hiking, homestay, horseback riding, trekking
Read The Experiment in International Living Reviews

4. Broadreach Summer Adventures for Students — 9.8

Join other young people from around the world in an epic adventure of discovery and personal development. On one of Broadreach’s Costa Rica adventure packages, you’ll get the best of both worlds: You’ll experience the thrill of pushing yourself out of your physical comfort zone while being intellectually challenged to learn new skills through hands-on activities. This will be a resume-builder for sure, not to mention the adventure of a lifetime!

Who? Under 18
Where? San Jose
Price per week? ~$1500-2000
Activities? Backpacking, camping, hiking, photography, rafting, rainforest tours, scuba, sea kayaking, snorkeling, surfing, and more!
Read Broadreach reviews

5. Sustainable Action: Costa Rica — 9.4

Costa Rica cheap vacations with InterExchange combine social and environmental sustainability in action. Not only will you get to hike through rainforests and swim in a waterfall, you’ll learn about why environmental conservation matters.

To top it all off, you can put your learning into practice by volunteering with local NGOs that are making a difference. This is definitely one life-changing cultural exchange program that you won’t want to miss!

Who? 18+
Where? Arenal, Monteverde, San Jose
Price per week? ~$2500
Activities? Eco tours, ecology, hiking, nature tours, rainforest tours, student tours
Read InterExchange reviews

6. Outward Bound Costa Rica: 19+ Panama & Costa Rica — 10

Combining time in two of Central America’s most vibrant landscapes, Outward Bound offers a Costa Rica cheap vacation you definitely don’t want to miss. Not only will you have life-changing adventures, you’ll be developing skills that will last you a lifetime.

These two weeks will combine every kind of adventure, from deep sea diving to sea kayaking, and from waterfall rappelling to surfing. Not to mention you’ll also get a chance to slow down and learn about local culture through a series of rural homestays and helping out by harvesting sugar cane.

These adventure-filled days are sure to leave you equal parts plum-tuckered out and eager for more!

Who? 18+
Where? Piedras Blancas and Manuel Antonio Beach
Price per week? ~$1500
Activities? Backpacking, camping, climbing, hiking, scuba, sea kayaking, snorkeling, surfing, and more!
Read Outward Bound Costa Rica reviews

7. Expedition Leader Course with Gapforce — 9.07

Ever seen Survivor? This trip will prepare you to never get voted off the island! You’ll learn key Survival and Leadership skills on this unique and challenging 4-month course. From mountaineering and expedition medicine to a solo survival experience and cave rescue, this is the ultimate in extreme training courses.

With this one, we’re going a bit past “cheap” and definitely more toward the investment side of looking at Costa Rica adventure packages, but it will TOTALLY be worth it! You’ll come home with unparallelled skills, a new understanding of your personal limits, and stories to fill multiple novels.

Not to mention, you’ll be qualified to lead future adventure trips. Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to become an expedition leader with Gapforce!

Who? 18+
Where? Quepos
Price per week? ~$600-900 (16-week program for $12,300)
Activities? Camping, caving & spelunking, rainforest tours, trekking
Read Gapforce reviews

8. Costa Rica - Sea Turtle Conservation — 9.47

Look no further for cheap Costa Rica adventure packages — we’ve found one that has it all. A week of Spanish lessons, cultural immersion activities, saving the turtles, making friends from around the world, and all while living la pura vida right on the beaches of Costa Rica. What more could you want?

GoEco offers you the flexibility of designing a program that meets your budget and calendar while offering you access to all of the adventure you can handle! Not to mention, you’ll experience the unique thrill of releasing baby sea turtles from the hatchery to their ocean home.

Who? 18+
Where? Talamanca
Price per week? Starting at ~$500
Activities? Cooking, ecology, hiking, homestay, nature tours
Read GoEco reviews

9. Volunteer in Costa Rica with Raleigh International — 9.88

Immerse yourself in the biodiversity that Costa Rica has to offer by choosing one of the cheap Costa Rica adventure vacation packages that Raleigh International has to offer. On your 4, 7, or 10 week journey, you’ll volunteer to help improve access to some of the most critical protected land on the planet.

You’ll also work with indigenous communities to improve educational facilities, and then your endurance will be tested on a trek across Costa Rica. And when we say across, we mean you can even choose to walk the 280km from one side of the country to the other. You’ll be supported by an amazing team the whole way, ensuring an unforgettable adventure! This one will definitely be write-home worthy.

Who? 18+
Where? Rural Areas
Price per week? ~$500-800
Activities? Camping, ecology, homestay, trekking
Read Raleigh International reviews

10. ELI Abroad - Experiences to Change Your Life — 10

If you’re looking for cheap Costa Rica adventure packages, this might be at the top of your list. With ultimate flexibility from 2-12 weeks and one of the lowest prices per week, ELI Abroad really is an experience to change your life.

Working with this small company, you can customize your adventure travel and combine it with a volunteer or internship experience. This will allow you to explore the country with your new friends and know that while you’re having fun in the sun (or jungle), you’re making a difference too!

Who? 18+
Where? San Ramon
Price per week? ~$200-500
Activities? Backpacking, camping, eco tours, hiking, homestay, nature tours, rainforest tours, sports
Read ELI Abroad reviews

11. Best Turtle Conservation Volunteer Project in Costa Rica — 9.78

Are you dreaming of living on the beach, enjoying the sun and surf, while protecting sea turtles, all before noon? Then IVHQ’s turtle conservation program is the Costa Rica cheap vacation you’ve been looking for.

Working with a team of esteemed research biologists and volunteers from across the globe, you’ll spend your days (or nights) on beach patrols, building hatcheries to protect eggs from predators, beach cleaning, counting and tagging sea turtles, locating nesting females, and collecting eggs.

The best part? During your time off, you’ll be surrounded by opportunities for incredible adventure travel and cultural exploration that will change your life forever.

Who? All ages
Where? Rural Areas, San Jose
Price per week? Starting at $300-600
Activities? Ecology, heritage tourism, nature tours, rainforest tours
Read IVHQ reviews

12. Volunteer with Turtles in Costa Rica — 10

Life on the Pacific or Carribean coast couldn’t get much better, unless you add in a few sea turtles to the mix. On Globalteer’s cheap Costa Rica adventure packages, you’ll be able to help preserve the country's incredible biodiversity through the protection of endangered sea turtle nests and the release of turtle hatchlings into the wild.

It’s practically a dream come true, all without breaking the bank! Not only will you be enjoying the pristine beaches and turquoise waters of Costa Rica, you’ll also be developing lifelong friendships that will transform your journey!

Who? All ages
Where? Rural Areas
Price per week? ~$300-600
Activities? Ecology
Read Globalteer reviews

Let us make your life easier! Compare these programs side-by-side for FREE using MyGoAbroad

You’ll have a blast with cheap Costa Rica adventure vacation packages!

Ready to dive into Costa Rica adventure packages?

From hiking and kayaking to ziplining and rafting, Costa Rica has it all. There are cheap Costa Rica adventure packages to fit every budget and adrenaline fix. Even better, you can get your blood pumping while pumping good energy back into the community by choosing to pair your adventure with some volunteerism. This is a great way to cut costs without cutting corners.

No matter which of the amazing cheap Costa Rica adventure vacation packages you choose, be sure to approach your time with a heavy dose of humility. Even though you’ll be in the country on the adventure of a lifetime, don’t forget to respect that you’ll be interacting with people going about their daily lives.

With a bit of curiosity and an open heart to learn about the world from different perspectives, the adventures you have will go far beyond how high you climb or how low you dive. If you slow down, listen, and learn, you’ll make cross-cultural connections that will transform you from the inside out. These might be the most meaningful adventures you could ever imagine.

With its turquoise waters on two coasts and mountainous jungles in between, Costa Rica truly is a thrill seeker’s paradise. Whether you immerse yourself in the cloud forests of Monteverde, take a dip in the hot springs of La Fortuna, or learn to surf in Manuel Antonio, you will love every minute of your Costa Rica cheap vacation. What are you waiting for? Make Costa Rica your personal playground today!