Which place is cheaper, Shangri-La or Uluru National Park (Ayers Rock)?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations. These travel costs come from the actual spending of real travelers.
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Should you visit Uluru National Park (Ayers Rock) or Shangri-La?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
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 Uluru National Park (Ayers Rock) and Shangri-La can help you decide which place is right for you.
Where Should I go: Uluru National Park (Ayers Rock) or Shangri-La?
Uluru National Park (Ayers Rock)
The Australian countryside is a large and vast area just waiting to be explored. Located in the north of Australia, Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park is a part of the Red Centre of the country. It is an UNESCO World Heritage Site, and, according to the Aborigines, it is a very sacred space. Amazing geological wonders and fascinating wildlife are just waiting for your visit.
Shangri-La
The original Shangri-La existed in the fictional world of James Hilton's novel "The Lost Horizon." It was a hidden paradise, a place so beautiful that it couldn't possibly exist on earth. The Shangri-La that exists in Yunnan, China today was renamed from its former title Zhongdian in 2001 in order to associate the place with the mystical allure created in Hilton's novel. Visitors come to admire the traditional monasteries and temples set against a backdrop of mountain preserves and pristine lakes.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Water Sports Tour Packages in Australia, The Best Food and Culinary Tours in Australia, The Best 2-Week Tours from Beijing, and The Best Family-Friendly Tours to China.
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Uluru National Park (Ayers Rock) Prices
Australia PricesShangri-La Prices
China Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayUluru National Park (Ayers Rock) $186Shangri-La $61
The average daily cost (per person) in Uluru National Park (Ayers Rock) is $186, while the average daily cost in Shangri-La is $61. 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 Uluru National Park (Ayers Rock) and Shangri-La in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personUluru National Park (Ayers Rock) $58Shangri-La $19
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomUluru National Park (Ayers Rock) $116Shangri-La $38
Compare Hotels in Uluru National Park (Ayers Rock) and Shangri-La
Looking for a hotel in Uluru National Park (Ayers Rock) or Shangri-La? 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.Uluru National Park (Ayers Rock) $75Shangri-La $11
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Uluru National Park (Ayers Rock)
Also for Uluru National Park (Ayers Rock), here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Uluru (Ayers Rock) to Alice Springs Coach Transfer: $171
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Shangri-La
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Shangri-La:
- Private Transfer from Shangri-la(Diqing) hotel to Lijiang/Shuhe hotel : $149
- Private Transfer from Shangri-La to Lijiang and Stops at Tiger Leaping Gorge: $160
Is it cheaper to fly into Uluru National Park (Ayers Rock) or Shangri-La?
Prices for flights to both Shangri-La and Uluru National Park (Ayers Rock) 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 dayUluru National Park (Ayers Rock) $81Shangri-La $33
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Uluru National Park (Ayers Rock)
For Uluru National Park (Ayers Rock), here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Uluru (Ayers Rock) Base and Sunset Half-Day Trip with Opt Outback BBQ Dinner: $134
- Uluru (Ayers Rock) Sunset + Outback Barbecue Dinner & Star Talk : $197
- Uluru Experience with BBQ Dinner: $219
- Mt Conner 4WD Small Group Tour from Ayers Rock Resort inc Dinner: $258
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Uluru National Park (Ayers Rock) $37Shangri-La $16
Tours and Activities in Uluru National Park (Ayers Rock)
For Uluru National Park (Ayers Rock), here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- Uluru Audio Tour App: $13
- Uluru (Ayers Rock) Sunset Tour: $70
- Small Group Uluru Sunset Viewing Tour: $73
- Uluru (Ayers Rock) Field of Light Sunrise Tour: $73
- Afternoon Kata Tjuta Small Group Tour: $117
- Alice Springs Highlights Tour : $120
- Kata Tjuta Small-Group Tour Including Sunrise and Breakfast: $160
- Uluru Small Group Tour including Sunset: $160
- Palm Valley 4WD Tour from Alice Springs: $174
- Best of Alice Springs Full Day Tour: $178
- Aboriginal Homelands Experience: $261
Tours and Activities in Shangri-La
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Shangri-La are as follows:
- 1 Day Shangri-La Songzanlin and Potatso National Park Tour: $280
- 1 Day Shangri-la City Tour with Pudacuo National Park: $209
- 1-Day Shangri-La Private Tour: Potatso National Park and Baiji Temple: $169
- 1-Day Shangri-La Tour to Ganden Monastery, Nixi Pottery Village and Tibetan Town: $185
- 1-Day Shangri-La tour with Ganden Monastery, Napahai Lake and Tibetan Town: $190
- Private tour Songzanlin Monastry & Tibetan lunch from Zhongdian: $240
- Shangri-La Day Tour Songzanlin Monastery and Napa Sea: $67
- Tibetan Village Scenic E-Bike Tour: $117
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayUluru National Park (Ayers Rock) $11Shangri-La $13
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Uluru National Park (Ayers Rock) and Shangri-La, we can see that Uluru National Park (Ayers Rock) is more expensive. And not only is Shangri-La much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Uluru National Park (Ayers Rock) is in Pacific and Shangri-La is in Asia, 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 Shangri-La would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Shangri-La 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 Uluru National Park (Ayers Rock) would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Uluru National Park (Ayers Rock) than you might in Shangri-La.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Uluru National Park (Ayers Rock) Expensive? and Is Shangri-La 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.