Which place is cheaper, Uluru National Park (Ayers Rock) or Zhangye?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Zhangye or Uluru National Park (Ayers Rock)?
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 Zhangye and Uluru National Park (Ayers Rock). 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: Zhangye or Uluru National Park (Ayers Rock)?
Zhangye
Zhangye, China is a city in the Gansu Province in the central north part of the country, close to Mongolia. This ancient city has often been used as a military strong hold, having been the headquarters of General Huo among many others. Zhangye is a fabulous day trip city to visit when staying in larger nearby cities.
Zhangye is privy to beautiful summer weather, with lots of sunshine and temperatures in the high 70's Fahrenheit. The best times to visit are between July and September, when temperatures and sunshine are at their highest. Autumn, Winter, and Spring tend to be a little chillier and rainier.
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.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Historical Tours in China, The Best 10-Day Tours in China, The Best 10-Day Tours in Australia, and The Best 2-Week Tours in Australia.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayZhangye $85Uluru National Park (Ayers Rock) $151
The average daily cost (per person) in Zhangye is $85, while the average daily cost in Uluru National Park (Ayers Rock) is $151. 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 Zhangye and Uluru National Park (Ayers Rock) in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personZhangye $38Uluru National Park (Ayers Rock) $58
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomZhangye $76Uluru National Park (Ayers Rock) $116
Compare Hotels in Zhangye and Uluru National Park (Ayers Rock)
Looking for a hotel in Zhangye or Uluru National Park (Ayers Rock)? 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.Zhangye $38Uluru National Park (Ayers Rock) $74
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Zhangye
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Zhangye:
- Private Airport Transfer: Zhangye Hotel to Zhangye Airport (YZY): $59
- Private Airport Transfer: Zhangye Airport (YZY) to Zhangye Hotel: $59
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:
- Coach Transfer from Ayers Rock (Uluru) to Kings Canyon: $112
Is it cheaper to fly into Zhangye or Uluru National Park (Ayers Rock)?
Prices for flights to both Uluru National Park (Ayers Rock) and Zhangye 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 dayZhangye $25Uluru National Park (Ayers Rock) $46
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: $129
- Uluru (Ayers Rock) Sunset + Outback Barbecue Dinner & Star Talk : $188
- Uluru Experience with BBQ Dinner: $202
- Mount Conner 4WD Small Group Tour from Ayers Rock including Dinner: $244
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Zhangye $10Uluru National Park (Ayers Rock) $37
Tours and Activities in Zhangye
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Zhangye are as follows:
- Private day tour to Zhangye Danxia Landform the Rainbow Mountain: $150
- Private Day Tour: Horse Hoof Temple Grottoes and Zhangye Danxia Landform: $299
- Private Hiking Tour: Binggou Danxia and Zhangye Danxia Geopark from Zhangye: $299
- Private Hiking Tour: Pingshanhu Grand Canyon and the Horse Hoof Temple Grottoes: $235
- Private day tour to Zhangye Mati temple & Giant Buddha Temple start from Zhangye: $155
- Zhangye Danxia Half Day tour: $195
- Zhangye One Day City Tour: $77
- Zhangye Rainbow Danxia Private Day Tour: $214
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
- A Self-Guided Driving Tour in Uluru Kata Tjuta National Park: $15
- Uluru (Ayers Rock) Sunset Tour: $65
- Small Group Uluru Sunset Viewing Tour: $66
- Uluru (Ayers Rock) Field of Light Sunrise Tour: $69
- Afternoon Kata Tjuta Small Group Tour: $110
- Kata Tjuta Small-Group Tour Including Sunrise and Breakfast: $146
- Uluru Small Group Tour including Sunset: $146
- Discover Uluru: Aboriginal Art & Culture 4.5 Hours Tour: $170
- Aboriginal Homelands Experience from Ayers Rock including Sunset: $233
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayZhangye $6.90Uluru National Park (Ayers Rock) $11
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Zhangye and Uluru National Park (Ayers Rock), we can see that Uluru National Park (Ayers Rock) is more expensive. And not only is Zhangye much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Zhangye is in Asia and Uluru National Park (Ayers Rock) 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 Zhangye would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Zhangye 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 Zhangye.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Zhangye Expensive? and Is Uluru National Park (Ayers Rock) 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.