Which place is cheaper, Alice Springs or Mount Kailash?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
Should I visit Mount Kailash or Alice Springs? This is a common question asked by many travelers. By figuring out which city has activities that align with your interests along with knowing which is more affordable, you'll understand where you can get more bang for your buck. So, let's dive into the details and the data, which all comes from actual travelers.
The main point of entry to Mount Kailash is a small village called Darchen. Once an important sheep station for nomads and their flocks, the village has now grown to provide for the pilgrims wishing to embark towards Mount Kailash and Lake Manasarovar. It contains a number of guest houses and restaurants as well as a hotel where pilgrims must get permission from the Public Security Bureau to make the trek around the mountain. Also in the village are a handful of small stores and kiosks, as well as some grounds for camping. It is about 330 km (a one-day bus drive) from the town of Shiquanhe to the northeast, where Gunsa Airport is located, offering flights twice a week to Lhasa and Chengdu.
Alice Springs is in the middle of Central Australia and is most famous as a base for exploring the famous rock, Uluru. Alice Springs itself has grown dramatically from what was once a small outpost. The tourist boom began in the early 1980s and the population is now somewhere around 28,000. The city now has all of the necessary facilities to cater to the influx of tourists who swing through to see Uluru. The town is 1500km from Darwin, which is the closest major city. Adelaide is just as far to the south. It's remote location means that costs can be higher than they are elsewhere in Australia. Expect to pay more for anything from fruits and vegetables to clothing and souvenirs. When making a reservation for a hotel, do note that the rating scale differs from elsewhere in Australia or in most western countries. The ratings come from the amenities available and have little to do with the actual room quality.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Family-Friendly Tours to China, The Best Hiking & Trekking Tours in China, The Best Food and Culinary Tours in Australia, and The Best Vineyard & Wine Tours in Australia.
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
The average daily cost (per person) in Mount Kailash is $71, while the average daily cost in Alice Springs is $95. 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 Mount Kailash and Alice Springs in more detail.
Looking for a hotel in Mount Kailash or Alice Springs? 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.
Also for Alice Springs, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
Prices for flights to both Alice Springs and Mount Kailash 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.
For Alice Springs, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Alice Springs.
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for alcohol and nightlife costs in Alice Springs:
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Mount Kailash and Alice Springs, we can see that Alice Springs is more expensive. And not only is Mount Kailash much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Mount Kailash is in Asia and Alice Springs is in Pacific, 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 Mount Kailash would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Mount Kailash 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 Alice Springs would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Alice Springs than you might in Mount Kailash.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Mount Kailash Expensive? and Is Alice Springs Expensive?.