A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers Tiger Leaping Gorge vs. Nara for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons

Should you visit Tiger Leaping Gorge or Nara?

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

Which city should you visit? Read on to compare the activities as well as the prices of travel for Tiger Leaping Gorge and Nara. We'll break down costs for accommodation, food, transportation and more to help you learn more about these two destinations. Then, you can figure out if either of these two places are accessible based on your travel budget, schedule, and interests. So, let's dig into it.

Where Should I go: Tiger Leaping Gorge or Nara?

Tiger Leaping Gorge

One of the deepest gorges in the world, Tiger Leaping Gorge gets its name from legend, where a tiger used a great rock in the center of the gorge as a stepping stone to leap from one side to the other. It is surrounded by stunning mountain scenery on either side with the Yangtze River rushing down through its center. Visitors come to Tiger Leaping Gorge to hike and witness its natural beauty.

Nara

As Japan's first capital, Nara offers a world of tradition and culture second only to the city of Kyoto. It is home to eight UNESCO World Heritage Sites, which are largely concentrated in the area of Nara Park. Here, it is also common to see many deer wandering freely amongst the temples and shrines.

For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Beijing, The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Lhasa, The Best Sightseeing Tours in Japan, and The Best Cultural Tours in Japan.


Which place is cheaper, Nara or Tiger Leaping Gorge?

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

  • Tiger Leaping Gorge Prices
    China Prices
    Nara Prices
    Japan Prices
  • Average Daily Cost Per person, per day
    Tiger Leaping Gorge $54
    Nara $111

The average daily cost (per person) in Tiger Leaping Gorge is $54, while the average daily cost in Nara is $111. 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 Tiger Leaping Gorge and Nara in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Tiger Leaping Gorge $13
    Nara $54
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Tiger Leaping Gorge $26
    Nara $108
Compare Hotels in Tiger Leaping Gorge and Nara

Looking for a hotel in Tiger Leaping Gorge or Nara? 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 Tiger Leaping Gorge


Hotels in Nara


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: Nara Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Tiger Leaping Gorge $17
    Nara $6.04

Is it cheaper to fly into Tiger Leaping Gorge or Nara?

Prices for flights to both Nara and Tiger Leaping Gorge 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
    Tiger Leaping Gorge $28
    Nara $51

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Nara

Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Nara.

  • Handmade Soba and Tempura Cooking Class in Nara: $49
  • Udon and Tempura Cooking Class in Nara: $52
  • Nara Personalized Half Day Food Tour with a Local Guide: $160
  • Taste of Nara A Guided Half Day Food Tour Tailored to Your Taste: $160
  • Full Day Nara E bike Tour and Osaka History Food Tour: $199

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Tiger Leaping Gorge $15
    Nara $8.09

Tours and Activities in Nara

Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Nara are as follows:

  • Gripped Sumi Ink Experience at a Historic Workshop in Nara: $23
  • Tea Ceremony Experience in Nara 3 Minutes from Nara Station: $28
  • Nara Craft Tours - local Craft beers tour experience in Nara City: $28
  • Naramachi walking tour with Local: $31
  • Nara Highlight Walking Tour with Furoshiki Experience with Lunch: $35
  • Samurai Spirit Kendo Experience【Nara】: $41
  • All must-sees in 3 hours - Nara Park Classic Tour! From JR Nara!: $45
  • Traditional Kimono Experience in Historic Nara(with Hair Styling): $48
  • Uji Tea Ceremony and UNESCO Heritage Walking Tour: $56
  • Nara English Guided Walking Tour (All Entrance Fee Included): $62
  • Perfect Nara Park Half-Day Bus Tour with English Speaking Guide: $69
  • Kyoto: Tea Museum and Tsuen Teahouse Guided Tour: $73

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Tiger Leaping Gorge $6.46
    Nara $12


When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Tiger Leaping Gorge and Nara, we can see that Nara is more expensive. And not only is Tiger Leaping Gorge much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Tiger Leaping Gorge would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Tiger Leaping Gorge 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 Nara would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Nara than you might in Tiger Leaping Gorge.

If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Tiger Leaping Gorge Expensive? and Is Nara Expensive?.