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

Should you visit Mount Kailash or Milford Sound?

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

Should I visit Mount Kailash or Milford Sound? 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 Milford Sound?

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.

Milford Sound

Milford Sound is a fjord in Fiordland that was created by a glacier. The area is known for rain, but if you end up here on a rainy, know that you are seeing the waterfalls at their fullest.

People go to Milford Sound for the natural beauty. It is unlike any other place on earth. If you're the adventurous type, get yourself a kayak to explore the area. Also, if you have the chance, take a cruise to Milford Deep Underwater Observatory.

For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Family-Friendly Tours to China, The Best Hiking & Trekking Tours in China, The Best Romantic Tours for Couples in New Zealand, and The Best Luxury Tours to New Zealand.


Which place is cheaper, Milford Sound or Mount Kailash?

These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations. These travel costs come from the actual spending of real travelers.

  • Mount Kailash Prices
    China Prices
    Milford Sound Prices
    New Zealand Prices
  • Average Daily Cost Per person, per day
    Mount Kailash $90
    Milford Sound $141

The average daily cost (per person) in Mount Kailash is $90, while the average daily cost in Milford Sound is $141. 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 Milford Sound in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Mount Kailash $27
    Milford Sound $67
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Mount Kailash $54
    Milford Sound $134
Compare Hotels in Mount Kailash and Milford Sound

Looking for a hotel in Mount Kailash or Milford Sound? 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 Milford Sound


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
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Mount Kailash $32
    Milford Sound $14

Is it cheaper to fly into Mount Kailash or Milford Sound?

Prices for flights to both Milford Sound 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 $43
    Milford Sound $58

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Mount Kailash $16
    Milford Sound $38

Tours and Activities in Milford Sound

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

  • Milford Sound Heli-Cruise-Heli + Earnslaw Burn Landing | 5hr: $974

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Mount Kailash $2.80
    Milford Sound $13


When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Mount Kailash and Milford Sound, we can see that Milford Sound 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 Milford Sound 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 Milford Sound would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Milford Sound 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 Milford Sound Expensive?.


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