Chamba district is in north-west of Himachal Pradesh and one of very few places in India to have a well documented history going back to 500 AD.  It has been mentioned in ancient Indian texts like Mahabharat and Purans. It remained mostly well protected from invaders due to it’s mountainous terrain. Chamba is famous for it’s ancient temples and towns of Khajjiar and Dalhousie.

Climate and Geography 

Chamba District is a mountainous one with an area of 6522 square kilometers and is surrounded on all sides by lofty mountain ranges. Altitude varies between 610 meters and 6400 meters. It is situated between 32° 11′ 30” and 33° 13′ 6” north latitude and  75°49 and 77° 3′ 30” east longitude. Chamba shares north-east border with Laddakh, north-western with Jammu and Lahaul and south-east and south with Kanga and Gurdaspur.

Weather also varies according to altitude with summer temperature reaching 40 degrees in western parts. North and eastern parts of the state at higher altitudes generally enjoy cooler weather. Summer season in Chamba starts  mid April and lasts till June, Monsoon from July till mid September and winter from December till January. Snowfall occurs at higher altitudes while rest of state remains cold.

Transport in Chamba

Nearest railway station and airport are in Pathankot, 120 km away. Distance from New Delhi is 596 km and from Chandigarh is 352 km by road. There are a lot os private as well as state run bus services running daily from all major cities nearby.

People and Culture

Chamba’s population is 5.19 lakh with literacy rate of 72.2 %. Hindus are 92.4 % , Muslims 6.2 % of population with the rest comprising of Sikhs, Christians and others.

Like all other districts of Himachal Pradesh, Chamba too celebrates a number of local fairs and festivals in various parts. The most famous one is Sui Mata Fair held from mid march till first week of April, in memory of princess Sui who sacrificed her life to bring water in to the region.
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Tourist Attractions in Chamba

• Chamba town (1000 m) is located on the right bank of the river Ravi. As a former princely State, This is one of the oldest in the country and dates back to the sixth century. lt is well known for its splendid architecture and as the base for numerous excursions. lt is also a district headquarters. More Details
• Dalhousie (2700 m) was established in 1854 as a summer retreat by British and named after Lord Dalhousie, who was the British Governor-General in India at that time. It is built over 5 hills Potreyn, Terah, Kathalagh, Bakrota and Bhangora. British influence is visible in old buildings. More Details
• Kahjjiar (1920 m) a small hill station is 24 km from Dalhousie surrounded by forests and meadows. Khajjiar lake used to be much bigger but has been reduced to a small fraction of it’s original size due to weeds. A lot of people visit  temple Khajji Nag from 12th century AD. More Details.

Government Resources

• Bus Stand  01899-222210
• Medical Officer 01899-222325/ 224495
• Police Control Room 01899-222380

Rest Houses and Circuit Houses in Chamba

Rest House/ Circuit House Location	PWD Division/ Booking Office	STD Code	Phone Number	e-Mail ID	Distance from Booking Office	No. of Suites
Rest House at Bharmour	E.E. Bharmour	01895	225003	ee-bhar-hp@nic.in	00.40	7
Rest House at Holi	E.E. Bharmour	01895	225003	ee-bhar-hp@nic.in	38.00	3
Rest House at Durgathi	E.E. Bharmour	01895	225003	ee-bhar-hp@nic.in	17.00	5
Rest House at Rakh	E.E. Bharmour	01895	225003	ee-bhar-hp@nic.in	42.00	3
Rest House at Chhatrari	E.E. Bharmour	01895	225003	ee-bhar-hp@nic.in	30.00	5
Circuit House Chamba	D.C. Chamba	01899	222408	dc-cha-hp@nic.in	00.10	6
Class-1 New Rest House at Chamba	E.E. Chamba	01899	222229	ee-cha-hp@nic.in	01.00	10
Annexie Attached to Circuit House	E.E. Chamba	01899	222229	ee-cha-hp@nic.in	01.00	4
Old Class-1 Rest House Chamba	E.E. Chamba	01899	222229	ee-cha-hp@nic.in	01.00	5
Class-III R/H Chamba	E.E. Chamba	01899	222229	ee-cha-hp@nic.in	01.00	3
Rest House at Kalhel	E.E. Chamba	01899	222229	ee-cha-hp@nic.in	45.00	2
Rest House at Tissa	E.E. Chamba	01899	222229	ee-cha-hp@nic.in	68.00	2
Rest House at Bhanjraroo	E.E. Chamba	01899	222229	ee-cha-hp@nic.in	68.00	5
Rest House at Bairagarh	E.E. Chamba	01899	222229	ee-cha-hp@nic.in	99.00	3
Circuit House at Dalhousie	D.C. Chamba	01899	240618	dc-cha-hp@nic.in	00.50	5
Circuit House at Dalhousie	E.E. Dalhousie	01899	240618	ee-dal-hp@nic.in	00.70	10
Rest House at Khajjiar	E.E. Dalhousie	01896	240618	ee-dal-hp@nic.in	22.00	4
Rest House at Banikhet	E.E. Dalhousie	01899	240618	ee-dal-hp@nic.in	07.00	6
Rest House at Bathri	E.E. Dalhousie	01899	240618	ee-dal-hp@nic.in	18.00	2
Rest House at Dhundiara	E.E. Dalhousie	01899	240618	ee-dal-hp@nic.in	20.00	4
Rest House at Kakira	E.E. Dalhousie	01899	240618	ee-dal-hp@nic.in	30.00	3
Rest House at Chowari	E.E. Dalhousie	01899	222223	ee-dal-hp@nic.in	45.00	3
Rest House at Sihunta	E.E. Dalhousie	01896	265428	ee-dal-hp@nic.in	55.00	5
Rest House at Salooni	E.E. Salooni	01899	240618	ee-slo-hp@nic.in	Local	2
Rest House at Kihar	E.E. Salooni	01896	233287	ee-slo-hp@nic.in	00.16	2
Rest House at Bhandal	E.E. Salooni	01896	233287	ee-slo-hp@nic.in	00.21	2
Rest House at Sundla	E.E. Salooni	01896	233287	ee-slo-hp@nic.in	00.19	4
Rest Houseat Langera	E.E. Salooni	01896	233287	ee-slo-hp@nic.in	00.37	2
Rest House at Masrond	E.E. Salooni	01896	233287	ee-slo-hp@nic.in	00.35	2
Rest House at Chakloo	E.E. Salooni	01896	233287	ee-slo-hp@nic.in	00.30	3
Rest House at Killar	E.E. Killar (Pangi)	01897	222223	hp-chm1@nic.in	Local	9
Rest House at Sach	E.E. Killar (Pangi)	01897	222223	hp-chm1@nic.in	14.00	3
Rest House at Cherry Banglow	E.E. Killar (Pangi)	01897	222223	hp-chm1@nic.in	13.00	2
Rest House at Dharwas	E.E. Killar (Pangi)	01897	222223	hp-chm1@nic.in	10.00	3