Home > Compare Adventure Operators > Contiki vs Costsaver
Contiki vs Costsaver
Compare the travel styles, pricing, destinations and popularity of Contiki and Costsaver.The Low Down
Over 35? Then Contiki is not for you. With tours and adventures designed for the 18-35's through Asia, Africa, North and South America and Europe, you'll need lots of energy for the good times ahead. Traditionally Contiki trips have been known for their late nights, lots of sleeping on the coach, and some sightseeing on the side. Contiki's philosophy of #NOREGRETS is about changing your perspective on the world, walking in others shoes, witnessing different cultures, religions, and ways of living. But most of all, it’s about living life out loud, unashamedly and completely, loving every single second of being young! 
CostSaver is Trafalgar's affordable range of coach tours. Comparable to Cosmos in price and quality, their focus has always been on Europe and the UK, but have more recently launched a range of new itineraries in the US, Canada and South America. If you are looking for an affordable touring option, then CostSaver is a great option, and if you've travelled with any of its sister brands like AAT Kings, Trafalgar or Insight Vacations further savings are available.The price for that affordability - while all the must-see sights are included, there are lot of optional excursions which can add up quickly if you choose to do them all. If that's likely, perhaps a more inclusive Operator like Trafalgar or Insight is best. However if you like the freedom to explore on your own, and are after a relaxing and hassle-free holiday, then Costsaver is a great option.
Stats
No. of Trips
443
No. of Departures
10,973
Avg. Trip Length
12 Days
Avg. Price Per Day
$290
Accommodation
Mixed
Budget
Affordable
Trip Styles Coach Tours18-to-30'sSailing TripsFestivals & EventsShort Breaks
No. of Trips
111
No. of Departures
2,697
Avg. Trip Length
12 Days
Avg. Price Per Day
$261
Accommodation
3 - 4 Star
Budget
Affordable
Trip Styles Coach Tours
In Their Own Words We asked the travel companies themselves why you should travel with them
Contiki are the world leaders in travel experiences for 18-35’s. We exist to connect young travellers to the time of their lives. We believe in real experiences and we care about making sure these experiences contribute positively to the people and places we visit. We are focused on discovery, once-in-a-lifetime moments, human connections, and making every second of being young count.
For over 55 years we’ve been perfecting the secret formula to the perfect trip - we know you’re after unique experiences, local insight and accommodation that’s more than a place to sleep. We run over 350 trips across 6 continents, each one designed to get to the beating heart of a destination, understanding the local way of life, unearthing unforgettable experiences and creating lifelong memories. Real experiences, unique accommodation, local food, the best team and awesome people all deliver Contiki’s no regrets experience.
We know lasting travel memories don’t have to cost the earth. Our value tours cover all the essentials, while providing you the building blocks to tailor your dream holiday. We plan and include all the essentials – your quality transport, accommodation, sightseeing, many meals and the very best Travel Directors, leaving you the time to tailor your trip your way.
As an active founder and supporter of the TreadRight Foundation, you’ll travel confidently knowing we support the protection and conservation of the places we visit. We tread far, but always tread lightly. Having won the 5 star gold award for highest travel satisfaction, from the independent review provider FEEFO, you can be assured you’ll get an unbeatable holiday at an unbeatable price. Value is in our blood, and thanks to our Ready To Go Rate, you’ll be confident that when you book, the price you see is the best it’ll be. Travel the world without a hassle in the world.
Recent Reviews
4.6
This was a great trip visiting some beautiful natural wonders. Contiki again did a great job and the Tour Leader was friendly and able to give useful local knowledge. Croatia was such a great country to finish this tour in!
This was the perfect base for exploring London at your own pace. Outside of the organised activities, it gave us plenty of time to ramble through this amazing city .... London!
This European Discovery Tour was just the perfect length for visiting Europe for the first time. Contiki were a great, organised company and our Tour Leader, Dan was organised and friendly. Global Journeys experienced staff allowed for a carefree and wonderful trip. Many thanks Hannah!
Can’t wait for the next Contiki. Only have one more year. 0 Darryl Rogers, Sylvan Lake, Alberta, Canada, Feb 2022
Everything about this Contiki was amazing. The guide was amazing and we will continue to be friends long after! The people were amazing, the extras and most importantly Ecuador blew me away with its beauty! I loved everything about this trip. Can’t wait for the next Contiki!
It was just great, I liked everything, the hotel, food, people, the activities. We had great weather too (lots of snow). The only downside was that there were no parties due to COVID restrictions in Austria.
4.4
This was our first Costsaver tour after having travelled with Trafalgar before. This tour is amazing! We saw so much in a short period of time. The value for money is really good and everything is organised for you. The hotels were warm and comfy and mostly centrally located. Highlights for us were: Irish dinner and entertainment, ferry crossings, Edinburgh, ...read more York and Waterford. The local guides were so knowledgeable and entertaining.
Our travel buddies were such a fantastic group and we all got along super well. The tour was only half full, so we had loads of space to spread out. Our tour director went above and beyond and the driver got us all around safely and quickly. Visiting in winter is great because it’s heaps quieter, but some things are closed. We can’t wait to travel with Costsaver again! Massive thanks to Georgie for her amazing organisation and making booking this trip easy.
Our travel buddies were such a fantastic group and we all got along super well. The tour was only half full, so we had loads of space to spread out. Our tour director went above and beyond and the driver got us all around safely and quickly. Visiting in winter is great because it’s heaps quieter, but some things are closed. We can’t wait to travel with Costsaver again! Massive thanks to Georgie for her amazing organisation and making booking this trip easy.
Very good tour with Costsaver. Five countries in 2 weeks with two nights spent in each city wasn't nearly enough, but gave a good insight into each place. The pace was good with not too many 'travelling' days to get from one place to the next. Our tour director Mike was excellent, providing detailed commentary and guidance with lashings of English-Czech ...read more humour and a dose of commendable Photoshopping skills to boot!
Hotels were good to very good (with the best being in Warsaw of all places), and as expected for Costsaver, most were a bit far from the centre of the city (about half an hour away) but easily serviceable by public transport in all the cities. Provided dinners were so-so, with most hotels serving a perfunctory chicken and rice/potato dish, but Hotel International in Prague were surprisingly great with a well-prepared buffet selection instead of the aforementioned chicken and rice/potato.
The only thing we found excessive were the number of optional tours offered; we didn't do any because we did our own thing, but for those who did all or most of the optionals, that left very little time to self-explore (and in fact, there were times when an hour here or there was all those people got to explore on their own). Otherwise it was a highly recommended tour if you want to see some of Europe's most understated and underrated cities.
Hotels were good to very good (with the best being in Warsaw of all places), and as expected for Costsaver, most were a bit far from the centre of the city (about half an hour away) but easily serviceable by public transport in all the cities. Provided dinners were so-so, with most hotels serving a perfunctory chicken and rice/potato dish, but Hotel International in Prague were surprisingly great with a well-prepared buffet selection instead of the aforementioned chicken and rice/potato.
The only thing we found excessive were the number of optional tours offered; we didn't do any because we did our own thing, but for those who did all or most of the optionals, that left very little time to self-explore (and in fact, there were times when an hour here or there was all those people got to explore on their own). Otherwise it was a highly recommended tour if you want to see some of Europe's most understated and underrated cities.
What a fun and exciting getaway to some fabulous cities in a short amount of time. If you want to see a lot in a limited timeframe, this trip is for you! The guide was extremely knowledgeable and there was just the right amount of interaction with travellers. I enjoyed meeting people from all over the world. The accommodation was much better than expected ...read more and the breakfasts were super. I would recommend travelling at this time of year (mid October) as the weather was still fantastic and you didn't see the crazy crowds of summer and holidays.
During this trip I visited too many National Parks : Grand Canyon, Zion, Bruce, Teton, Yellow Stone and Badland National Parks & more. All were very beautiful. The scenery along this trip was awesome in Autumn. It was more spectacular than I expected. Most of hotels were excellent. No any complaint for this budget tour. The tour Director Stephen and ...read more the driver Ariane were fantastic. I really enjoyed 2 weeks time with them and other guests in this trip. I also would like to thank Global Journeys and especially Jemma who organised my wonderful trip.
Worry Free - Germany / Czech / Hungary / Austria- Imperial Highlights Tour 0 Brett, VIC, Australia, Sep 2022
The trip of the imperial highlights tour was truly amazing - Munich, Regensburg, Prague, Bratislava, Budapest, Vienna and Salzburg - all different cities with long histories, beautiful landmarks and sights to see. CostSaver organised a really great itinerary to ensure each location was truly captured with local guides organised to take us through each ...read more location and all were extremely knowledgeable. The extra optional tours were all great as well and highly recommended. CostSaver placed all the tourists safety and welfare at the forefront at all times and the communication for all requirements - start times, finishing times, and knowledge of locations was of the highest order. Well done CostSaver for a most memorable time in Europe.
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