Budget Travel Costs for “The New 7 Wonders of the World”
The New 7 Wonders of the World have recently been released, and they are: The Great Wall (China), Petra (Jordan), Christ Redeemer (Brazil), Machu Picchu (Peru), Chichén Itzá (Mexico), The Roman Colosseum (Italy), and The Taj Mahal (India).
Now it is my impression that whenever lists like these are released, people look them over, marvel at pictures on the internet, but usually that’s about as far as it goes. Most of us just assume that while these sites are truly amazing, they are all in far-off lands, that us “average Joe’s” don’t have the time or money to visit.
So, as a feature here on Go Budget Travel, I have decided to look a little further and figure out how much it actually costs to visit each of these sites, to shed a little light on exactly how accessible or inaccessible they really are.
Below I have made a list of the 7 New Wonders of the World, and the costs of visiting for one day. It’s important to note here that some of these sites should not be rushed through in one day (Machu Picchu, Petra, perhaps Chichén Itzá), but for comparison purposes only, that is how I have listed their costs. I have also excluded extra costs such as accommodation, food, gifts, etc. as those costs will depend on each individual’s preferred style of travel. Check out my Budget Travel Costs or 94 Cities around the World article for more information on budget accommodation and meals in each of these areas.
I think the facts will show, that these sites, in general, are extremely affordable. Most cost less than a day’s entry to Six Flags or Busch Gardens, however so many people will die having never even seen one. In my opinion, that’s a real shame.
Description: Obviously the Great Wall is very long, and can be seen in a number of places throughout China. The prices quoted below are for two standard Wall viewing spots out side of Beijing. The first price is for Badaling, the closest wall site to Beijing (is also VERY crowded, and not usually recommended to foreign tourists), and the second is Mutianyu (which is further from Beijing and significantly less crowded).
Admission: $5.93-$4.62
Transport to/from Beijing: $2.64-$9.24 (bus - roundtrip)
Total from Beijing (not including airfare): $8.57-$13.86
Standard Airfare (roundtrip): $1160 (New York), $890 (London), $920 (Paris), $1045 (Los Angeles)
Description: Prices quoted below are for a 1 day trip to Petra. Most Petra experts recommend 2-3 days to do the area justice, but for comparison purposes I only looked at one day. If staying for 2 days admission is $36.67, 3 days is $42.31.
Admission: $29.61 (1 day)
Transport to/from Amman: $11 (bus - roundtrip)
Total from Amman (not including airfare): $40.61
Standard Airfare (roundtrip) to Amman, Jordan: $1160 (New York), $795 (London), $725 (Paris), $1490 (Los Angeles)
Admission: $18.91 (includes roundtrip transportation up and down the mountain to see the statue)
Transport to/from Rio de Janeiro: the statue is located in Rio, so there is no additional transporation cost
Total from Rio de Janeiro (not including airfare): $18.91
Standard Airfare (roundtrip) to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil: $840 (New York), $1190 (London), $915 (Paris), $910 (Los Angeles)
Description: Prices quoted below are for a 1 day trip to Machu Picchu. You should definitely schedule more time to visit these amazing ruins, but for comparison purposes, I only considered a one day trip.
Admission: $36.00
Transport to/from Cusco: $73.00 (roundtrip train)
Total from Cusco (not including airfare): $109.00
Standard Airfare (roundtrip) to Cusco, Peru: $900 (New York), $1660 (London), $1570 (Paris), $920 (Los Angeles)
Admission: $7.42
Transport to/from Cancun: $17.44 (roundtrip bus)
Total from Cancun (not including airfare): $24.86
Standard Airfare (roundtrip) to Cancun, Mexico: $400 (New York), $1095 (London), $1020 (Paris), $420 (Los Angeles)
Admission: $15.00
Transport to/from Rome: the Colosseum is located in Rome, so there is no additional transportation cost
Total from Rome (not including airfare): $15.00
Standard Airfare (roundtrip) to Rome, Italy: $725 (New York), $198 (London), $170 (Paris), $1150 (Los Angeles)
Admission: $18.58
Transport to/from Agra: 19.32 (train - roundtrip)
Total from Rome (not including airfare): $37.90
Standard Airfare (roundtrip) to New Delhi, India: $1010 (New York), $760 (London), $810 (Paris), $1300 (Los Angeles)
Photos: www.new7wonders.com
Enjoy this post?Subscribe to more great free content from Go Budget Travel through my RSS Feed or by Email!
[…] new 7 wonders and a great writeup can be found on GoBudgetTravel.com. Tags: greg rodgers, 7 world wonders, pyramids, angkor wat, egypt, travel, Tag […]
It’s great to see that a lot of these places can be reached on a budget. Hopefully, if more people visit these attractions, then more money will be funneled into preserving them for the future.
Rachel - Yes, I think that’s a crucial point. I know Machu Picchu, for example, has really suffered over the past few years from an explosion of tourists, and not enough regulation and funding going back into the preservation of the site. It also often gets to a point where you really need to limit the number of visitors to a site each year, this would drive prices up, but in the future that may be a necessary measure to ensure these sites aren’t destroyed by tourism.
As big a proponent as I am for global travel, the tourism industry can be a big, nasty machine that takes no prisoners. Have to be careful!