Which place is cheaper, Royal Chitwan National Park or Pokhara?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
Which city is more affordable and which is best for your travel style? If you're trying to figure out where to go next, comparing the travel costs between Pokhara and Royal Chitwan National Park can help you decide which place is right for you.
Pokhara is the second largest city in Nepal and is strategically located near the popular Annapurna Circuit. The Annapurna Circuit, or the "Apple Pie Trail", is a popular trek through the Annapurna Valley that makes a circular route through stunning mountainous landscapes. Several other trekking options can be found in this region, too. Many people use Pohkara as a place to prepare or recover from their recently completed treks because it is less intimidating than the larger city of Kathmandu.
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.
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
The average daily cost (per person) in Pokhara is $19, while the average daily cost in Royal Chitwan National Park is $35. 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 Pokhara and Royal Chitwan National Park in more detail.
Looking for a hotel in Pokhara 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.
Here are some examples of typical transportation prices from actual travelers in Pokhara:
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Pokhara:
Prices for flights to both Royal Chitwan National Park and Pokhara 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.
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for food and meal costs in Pokhara:
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Pokhara.
Here are a few actual costs in Pokhara for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
For Royal Chitwan National Park, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Pokhara and Royal Chitwan National Park, we can see that Royal Chitwan National Park is more expensive. And not only is Pokhara much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Pokhara would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Pokhara 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 Royal Chitwan National Park would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Royal Chitwan National Park than you might in Pokhara.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Pokhara Expensive? and Is Royal Chitwan National Park Expensive?.