Which place is cheaper, Shangri-La or Fiordland National Park?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Fiordland National Park or Shangri-La?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Which city is more affordable and which is best for your travel style? If you're trying to figure out where to go next, comparing the travel costs between Fiordland National Park and Shangri-La can help you decide which place is right for you.
Where Should I go: Fiordland National Park or Shangri-La?
Fiordland National Park
One of UNESCO's World Heritage Sites, Fiordland National Park is New Zealand's largest park, as well as one of the largest in the world. Although it may be the largest, it is the least explored park in the country. The park takes up the southwest region of the south island. The Department of Conservation manages the park (like all of the other parks in the country) and they try to keep development minimal in efforts to protect the environment and manage human activity. When visiting the park, prepare for rain as the park as over 200 days of rain per year.
Shangri-La
The original Shangri-La existed in the fictional world of James Hilton's novel "The Lost Horizon." It was a hidden paradise, a place so beautiful that it couldn't possibly exist on earth. The Shangri-La that exists in Yunnan, China today was renamed from its former title Zhongdian in 2001 in order to associate the place with the mystical allure created in Hilton's novel. Visitors come to admire the traditional monasteries and temples set against a backdrop of mountain preserves and pristine lakes.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Family-Friendly Tours to New Zealand, The Best Wildlife Tours to New Zealand, The Best 2-Week Tours from Beijing, and The Best Family-Friendly Tours to China.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayFiordland National Park $97Shangri-La $46
The average daily cost (per person) in Fiordland National Park is $97, while the average daily cost in Shangri-La is $46. These costs include accommodation (assuming double occupancy, so the traveler is sharing the room), food, transportation, and entertainment. While every person is different, these costs are an average of past travelers in each destination. What follows is a categorical breakdown of travel costs for Fiordland National Park and Shangri-La in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personFiordland National Park $48Shangri-La $19
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomFiordland National Park $96Shangri-La $38
Compare Hotels in Fiordland National Park and Shangri-La
Looking for a hotel in Fiordland National Park or Shangri-La? Prices vary by location, date, season, and the level of luxury. See below for options and compare which is best for your budget and travel style.
Kayak helps you find the best prices for hotels, flights, and rental cars for destinations around the world. Compare prices for multiple destinations when planning your next trip.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Fiordland National Park $42Shangri-La $10
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Shangri-La
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Shangri-La:
- Private Transfer from Shangri-la(Diqing) hotel to Lijiang/Shuhe hotel : $149
- Private Transfer from Shangri-La to Lijiang and Stops at Tiger Leaping Gorge: $160
Is it cheaper to fly into Fiordland National Park or Shangri-La?
Prices for flights to both Shangri-La and Fiordland National Park change regularly based on dates and travel demand. We suggest you find the best prices for your next trip on Kayak, because you can compare the cost of flights across multiple airlines for your prefered dates.
Food
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Food Meals for one dayFiordland National Park $23Shangri-La $19
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Fiordland National Park $20Shangri-La $16
Tours and Activities in Fiordland National Park
For Fiordland National Park, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- Te Anau: River Jet Boat and Bike Ride Tour with Local Guide: $130
Tours and Activities in Shangri-La
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Shangri-La are as follows:
- 1 Day Shangri-la City Tour with Pudacuo National Park: $209
- 1 day Shangri-La Highlights Mini Private Tour: $117
- 1-Day Shangri-La Private Tour: Potatso National Park and Baiji Temple: $169
- 1-Day Shangri-La Tour to Ganden Monastery, Nixi Pottery Village and Tibetan Town: $185
- 1-Day Shangri-La tour with Ganden Monastery, Napahai Lake and Tibetan Town: $190
- Private tour Songzanlin Monastry & Tibetan lunch from Zhongdian: $199
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayFiordland National Park $8.07Shangri-La $13
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Fiordland National Park and Shangri-La, we can see that Fiordland National Park is more expensive. And not only is Shangri-La much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Fiordland National Park is in Pacific and Shangri-La is in Asia, this is one of the main reasons why the costs are so different, as different regions of the world tend to have overall different travel costs. So, traveling to Shangri-La would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Shangri-La and be able to afford a more luxurious travel style by staying in nicer hotels, eating at more expensive restaurants, taking tours, and experiencing more activities. The same level of travel in Fiordland National Park would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Fiordland National Park than you might in Shangri-La.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Fiordland National Park Expensive? and Is Shangri-La Expensive?.
Budget Your Trip is all about finding out how much everything costs so that you can travel cheaper and longer. Created by avid travelers Laurie and Bryan, our goal is to help you plan your next trip on the right budget. With average daily travel costs that are calculated from the budgets of real travelers, plus an analysis of hotel and tour prices, you can find out how much money you need to plan your next adventure. We also have plenty of travel advice, accommodation reviews, and activity suggestions.