A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers Mount Kailash vs. Atami for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons

Should you visit Mount Kailash or Atami?

Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?

Should I visit Mount Kailash or Atami? 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.

Where Should I go: Mount Kailash or Atami?

Mount Kailash

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.

Atami

Sharing a home with the famous Mount Fuji inside the Fuji-Hakone-Izu National Park, Atami is a Japanese city set on the seaside of the Izu Peninsula. With volcanic hills and natural hot springs, visitors are very much drawn to the unique landscape of the place. There are many hot springs resorts that take advantage of the area's natural features, which have been attracting visitors since the 8th century.

For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Family-Friendly Tours to China, The Best Hiking & Trekking Tours in China, The Best 10-Day Tours from Tokyo, and The Best 2-Week Tours from Tokyo.


Which place is cheaper, Atami or Mount Kailash?

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 Atami is $86. 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 Atami in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Mount Kailash $27
    Atami $43
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Mount Kailash $54
    Atami $86
Compare Hotels in Mount Kailash and Atami

Looking for a hotel in Mount Kailash or Atami? 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.

Hotels in Mount Kailash


Hotels in Atami


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: Atami Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Mount Kailash $31
    Atami $35

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Atami

Also for Atami, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:

  • Haneda Airport to/from Izu or Atami City Private Transfer: $557
  • Narita Airport to/from Izu or Atami City Private Transfer: $650

Is it cheaper to fly into Mount Kailash or Atami?

Prices for flights to both Atami 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.





Food
  • Food Meals for one day
    Mount Kailash $24
    Atami $24

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Mount Kailash $15
    Atami $7.68

Tours and Activities in Atami

For Atami, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:

  • "Explore Atami's Culinary Culture" Walking Tour: $44
  • Odawara Castle and Town Guided Discovery Tour: $104
  • ACAO BEACH: Tent Sauna experience at private resort: $114
  • Exclusive Geisha Experience: $114
  • Ninja, Samurai, Odawara Castle Experience: $131
  • Hakone one day tour: $157

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Mount Kailash $2.76
    Atami $5.45


When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Mount Kailash and Atami, we can see that Atami is more expensive. And not only is Mount Kailash much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. 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 Atami would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Atami 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 Atami Expensive?.


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