Which place is cheaper, Zhangjiajie or Tiger Leaping Gorge?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Tiger Leaping Gorge or Zhangjiajie?
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 Zhangjiajie. 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 Zhangjiajie?
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.
Zhangjiajie
Zhangjiajie, China is a picturesque city located in the northwest of the Hunan Province. This ancient city, which dates all the way back to the Stone Age, is famous for being home to the UNESCO World Heritage Site, Wulingyuan Scenic Area. Zhangjiajie is also known for being a popular filming location and and overall great place to escape the bustling Chinese cities. Zhangjiajie has its own dialect, which is a branch of the Hunan and Southern dialects, so Mandarin does not always translate when trying to speak to locals here.
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 One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Shanghai, and The Best 2-Week Tours from Beijing.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayTiger Leaping Gorge $43Zhangjiajie $65
The average daily cost (per person) in Tiger Leaping Gorge is $43, while the average daily cost in Zhangjiajie is $65. 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 Zhangjiajie in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personTiger Leaping Gorge $14Zhangjiajie $30
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomTiger Leaping Gorge $28Zhangjiajie $60
Compare Hotels in Tiger Leaping Gorge and Zhangjiajie
Looking for a hotel in Tiger Leaping Gorge or Zhangjiajie? 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.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Tiger Leaping Gorge $17Zhangjiajie $15
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Zhangjiajie
Also for Zhangjiajie, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Entrance Tickets to Grand Canyon & Glass Bridge with Private Car Transfer From Zhangjiajie city hotel (Round Trip ): $127
- Fox Fairy Show VIP Ticket with Private Transfer in ZJJ City: $63
- Fox Fairy Show VIP Ticket with Round Trip Private Transfer: $52
- Private Car Transfer From WLY to Glass Bridge (Round Trip ): $105
- Private Transfer from Zhangjiajie Train Station to Fenghuang hotel: $149
- Private Transfer from Zhangjiajie to Fenghuang and stops at Aizhai bridge area: $187
- Private Transfer from Zhangjiajie to Fenghuang and stops at Furong old town: $187
- Private Transfer from Zhangjiajie to Guilin or Yangshuo: $256
- Private Transfer: Yichang hotel from/to Zhangjiajie Hotel: $324
- Private transfer from Zhangjiajie(Wulingyuan) to Changsha area: $213
- Zhangjiajie airport/city pick up transfer to hotel or Vice Versa: $18
Is it cheaper to fly into Tiger Leaping Gorge or Zhangjiajie?
Prices for flights to both Zhangjiajie 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
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Food Meals for one dayTiger Leaping Gorge $16Zhangjiajie $21
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Zhangjiajie
For Zhangjiajie, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- 1 Day Zhangjiajie Private Tour Visit Avatar Mount and Tianzi Mount with Dinner: $196
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Tiger Leaping Gorge $15Zhangjiajie $23
Tours and Activities in Zhangjiajie
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Zhangjiajie.
- Virtual Guided Tour: Visit China's Landscapes with Hollywood Movies: $16
- Baofeng Lake Admission Ticket in Zhangjiajie (with Boat Ride): $37
- Zhangjiajie Grand Canyon and Glass Bridge Ticket: $57
- Tianmen Mountain day tour: $92
- Join-in Tour: Tianmen Mountain and Sky Walk in a Day from Zhangjiajie: $118
- Full-Day Private Tour of Tianmen Mountain With the Skywalk: $121
- Join-in Tour: Day Tour to Zhangjiajie Grand Canyon & Glass Bridge : $125
- Full-Day Private Tour of Tianmen Mountain: $125
- Full-Day Private Tour of Zhangjiajie(Wulingyuan) National Forest Park: $130
- 1 Days Zhangjiajie Natural Beauty Tour with Baofeng Lake: $132
- 1 Day Tianmen Mountain Tour: $139
- Private Day Tour of Baofeng Lake and Yellow Dragon Cave: $140
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayTiger Leaping Gorge $6.54Zhangjiajie $16
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Tiger Leaping Gorge and Zhangjiajie, we can see that Zhangjiajie 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 Zhangjiajie would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Zhangjiajie 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 Zhangjiajie 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.