Which place is cheaper, Royal Chitwan National Park or Kathmandu?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations. These travel costs come from the actual spending of real travelers.
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Should you visit Kathmandu or Royal Chitwan National Park?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Trying to figure out where to travel next? This travel comparison between Kathmandu and Royal Chitwan National Park can help. It includes a travel cost comparison in addition to other factors. For many travelers, the cost of a destination is a primary consideration when choosing where to go.
Where Should I go: Kathmandu or Royal Chitwan National Park?
Kathmandu
Kathmandu is the capital and largest city in the country of Nepal. Its metropolitan area forms one large urban area that includes the area of Patan to the south. As of 2011 there were 2.5 million residents in the Kathmandu metropolis and over 3 million in the entire metropolitan area. Kathmandu is likely to be your entry point into Nepal and is a great place to pick up supplies and arrange the details for any treks you hope to do. Many travelers rush through Kathmandu, turned off by the pollution and crowds, but to skip Kathmandu is to miss a major cultural, financial, and influential part of what defines the country of Nepal. The city itself is quite fun to explore if you allow it enough time and an open mind.
Royal Chitwan National Park
The majestic elephant, the silly monkey and dozens of soaring birds call the Royal Chitwan National Park home. At the foot of the Himalayas, this UNESCO World Heritage Site is 932 square kilometers of animal and plant life preservation in Nepal.
Once the favorite hunting ground for Nepal's ruling class, the area began seeing the endangerment of all the area animals. So in 1957, Nepal passed its first conservation law to protect the rhinos and their habitat. At the end of the 1960s, however, DDT had cleared 70% of Royal Chitwan National Park jungles, thousands of people had created moved in on the land and only 95 rhinos were left. By 1977 the park was under complete protection, enlarged to the present-day size and is one of the last refuges of the Bengal tiger.
This park, also known as "the heart of the jungle," provides over 70,000 annual visitors with opportunities to get close and personal with animals they've only seen in movies. Fair warning, however, the weather is quite hot and humid for most of the year.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Hiking & Trekking Tours in Nepal, The Best 10-Day Tours in Nepal, The Best One Week (7-Day) Tours in Nepal, and The Best 2-Week Tours in Nepal.
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Kathmandu Prices
Nepal PricesRoyal Chitwan National Park Prices
Nepal Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayKathmandu $61Royal Chitwan National Park $41
The average daily cost (per person) in Kathmandu is $61, while the average daily cost in Royal Chitwan National Park is $41. 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 Kathmandu and Royal Chitwan National Park in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personKathmandu $39Royal Chitwan National Park $11
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomKathmandu $78Royal Chitwan National Park $22
Compare Hotels in Kathmandu and Royal Chitwan National Park
Looking for a hotel in Kathmandu or Royal Chitwan National Park? 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.
Our Analysis
We've analyzed the average and typical hotel prices based on guest reviews, star ratings, and hotel amenities here: Kathmandu Hotel Prices and Royal Chitwan National Park Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Kathmandu $6.74Royal Chitwan National Park $21
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Kathmandu
Here are some examples of typical transportation prices from actual travelers in Kathmandu:
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Taxi Ride$1.46
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Kathmandu
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Kathmandu:
- Yoga Experience Day Trip with Private Transfer From Kathmandu: $152
- Private Transfers for Kathmandu Airport Arrival and Departure: $30
- Private Transfer: Kathmandu to Pokhara Hotels: $244
- Private Transfer: Hotel to Kathmandu Airport Vehicle : $35
- Private Transfer to Syabrubesi from Kathmandu or Pokhara: $170
- Private Sunrise or Sunset Tour of Dhulikhel with return transfers from Kathmandu: $124
- Private Luxury Car Transfer all over Nepal: $91
- Private Car Transfer from Kathmandu to Pokhara or Chitwan or Vv: $90
- Pokhara:Paragliding & River Rafting Adventure with Transfers: $144
- One-Way Private Car Transfer from Kathmandu to Pokhara": $106
- One-Way Flight Transfer from Kathmandu to Pokhara: $130
- Mount Everest Scenic Flight By Plane With Airport Transfer: $319
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Royal Chitwan National Park
Also for Royal Chitwan National Park, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Chitwan to Kathmandu One Way Transfer by Private AC Car : $75
Is it cheaper to fly into Kathmandu or Royal Chitwan National Park?
Prices for flights to both Royal Chitwan National Park and Kathmandu 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 dayKathmandu $14Royal Chitwan National Park $16
Typical Food Prices in Kathmandu
Some typical examples of dining costs in Kathmandu are as follows:
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Dessert$1.31
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Dinner for Two$2.91
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Kathmandu
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Kathmandu.
- Hadigaun Kathmandu All-Inclusive Food Tour: $5.00
- Local Women-Lead Nepali Cooking & Momo Class: $5.00
- 7 UNESCO Sites Tour with Optional Dinner: $5.23
- Local Lead Nepali Cooking & Momo Making Class: $8.00
- Women-Led Nepali Cooking Class with Momo Making: $8.00
- Local Women-Led Nepali Cooking & Momo Class: $9.00
- 4 UNESCO Heritage Tour with Nepali Cooking Class: $10
- Private Cooking class with Pickup and Drop: $15
- Cultural Stay in Kathmandu and experience dinner with family: $18
- Cultural Dinner Show with Traditional Dance: $18
- Cultural Dinner Show: $20
- Nepali and Newari Cooking Class with Optional …: $21
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Kathmandu $7.79Royal Chitwan National Park $9.34
Typical Entertainment Prices in Kathmandu
Some typical examples of activities, tours, and entrance ticket prices in Kathmandu are as follows:
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Monkey Temple for Two$1.46
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Patan Durbar Square Entrance for Two$3.64
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Swayambhunath Stupa$1.46
Tours and Activities in Kathmandu
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Kathmandu are as follows:
- 1 Nights 2 Days Private Nagarkot Tour Package from Kathmandu: $150
- Day tour Namo Buddha : $90
- Hire Tour Guide Nepal : $81
- Kathmandu Heritage: PrivateTour to 7 UNESCO World Heritage Sites: $150
- Manakamana Darshan- Day Tour: $199
- One Day Tour inside Chitwan National Park: $116
- Two Days Sightseeing in Kathmandu Tour UNESCO Heritage sites: $150
- "Explore Kathmandu Rich Heritage: City Highlights Bus Tour": $11
- "Off-The-Beaten-Path" Tour around Kathmandu : $70
- 1 Day Gay Tour Nepal: $155
- 1 Day Kathmandu Heritage 4 UNESCO Tour with Lunch: $124
- 1 Day Valley Rim Biking Tour in Kathmandu: $160
Tours and Activities in Royal Chitwan National Park
For Royal Chitwan National Park, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- Experience the ride in Lowlands of Nepal: $62
- 1 Night 2 Days Chitwan Safari Tour: $118
- Chitwan Jungle Safari Tour: $140
- 2 Nights 3 Days Chitwan Jungle Safari Tour : $154
- 3 Nights 4 Days Comfortable Chitwan Safari Tour: $195
- 3-Day All Inclusive Chitwan Jungle Safari Tour From Kathmandu: $250
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayKathmandu $5.60Royal Chitwan National Park $6.30
Sample the Local Flavors in Kathmandu
Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Kathmandu:
- Nightlife and Pub Crawl Tour: $68
- Chitlang Day Tour, Wine Tasting and Short Hike: $112
- Kathmandu Nightlife Tour - Pub Crawl: $114
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Kathmandu and Royal Chitwan National Park, we can see that Kathmandu is more expensive. And not only is Royal Chitwan National Park much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Royal Chitwan National Park would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Royal Chitwan National Park 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 Kathmandu would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Kathmandu than you might in Royal Chitwan National Park.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Kathmandu Expensive? and Is Royal Chitwan National Park 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.