Which place is cheaper, Te Anau or Mount Kailash?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Mount Kailash or Te Anau?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Should I visit Mount Kailash or Te Anau? 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 Te Anau?
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.
Te Anau
Te Anau is a town on the South Island of New Zealand, best-known as a gateway to Fiordland National Park and Milford Sound. The region is a major destination for ecotourism as it is home to rare species like the endangered flightless takahe bird and natural features like caves, waterfalls, forests, lakes, glacial valleys, and mountains.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Family-Friendly Tours to China, The Best Hiking & Trekking Tours in China, Tours for Outdoor and Nature Lovers in New Zealand, and The Best Adventure Tours to New Zealand.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayMount Kailash $71Te Anau $98
The average daily cost (per person) in Mount Kailash is $71, while the average daily cost in Te Anau is $98. 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 Te Anau in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personMount Kailash $27Te Anau $44
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomMount Kailash $54Te Anau $88
Compare Hotels in Mount Kailash and Te Anau
Looking for a hotel in Mount Kailash or Te Anau? 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: Te Anau Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Mount Kailash $31Te Anau $27
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Te Anau
Also for Te Anau, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Kepler Water Taxi Transfer across Lake Te Anau: $15
Is it cheaper to fly into Mount Kailash or Te Anau?
Prices for flights to both Te Anau 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
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Food Meals for one dayMount Kailash $24Te Anau $27
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Mount Kailash $15Te Anau $47
Tours and Activities in Te Anau
For Te Anau, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- Glowworm Caves Guided Tour: $71
- Te Anau Glow Worm Caves Tour: $72
- Evening Scenic Cruise: $86
- Lake 3-Hour Boat Cruise with Guided Walk: $86
- Afternoon Te Anau Cruise on Historic Motor Yacht: $87
- Champagne Sightseeing Cruise on Lake Te Anau: $87
- Morning Tea Cruise on Historic Motor Yacht from Te Anau: $88
- Fiordland: Jet Boat & Nature Walk Experience from Te Anau: $106
- Full-Day National Park Tour with Cruise and Lunch: $110
- From Milford Sound Coach Tour and Cruise: $110
- Milford Sound Coach & Cruise Tour from Te Anau : $113
- Premium Milford Sound Full Day Tour & Cruise: $118
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayMount Kailash $2.76Te Anau $14
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Mount Kailash and Te Anau, we can see that Te Anau 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 Te Anau 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 Te Anau would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Te Anau 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 Te Anau 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.