Chamba, India: General information
Situated at an altitude of about 960 mts. the town of Chamba has been the capital of Pahari kings since long.The town was founded by the king Sahil Verman who named the town after her daughter, Champavati.Surrounded by higher ranges Chamba has preserved the ancient culture and heritage and Chamba is known for the elegence of its temples and handicrafts. This makes this little hill town a bit different from the ones that are situated near to it.Chamba valley lies enclosed between two principal spur ranges of the Great Himalaya, the Dhauladhar and the Pangi-Pir Panjal.The sedimentary deposits of the Shivaliks give way to the first granite range in the system, the Dhauladhar. The Pir Panjal runs roughly parallel, to the north but on a converging line, and in between lies the drainage basin of the Ravi, one of the principal rivers of the Punjab.
How to reach Chamba?
Chamba is not directly connected with air and railways thus, reaching here by road is the most convenient way. Although the town can be accessed by railways and air if you are ready to break your journey rather than reach here directly.Reaching Chamba by air-
Chamba is not directly connected by air route. The nearest airport from Chamba is Gaggal airport in Kangra district but very few flights operate from here and many a times flights get cancelled due ti bad weather. From Gaggal airport you can hire a taxi or travel by bus to reach Chamba.
Reaching Chamba by Railway-
Chamba is not directly connected by railway route.The nearest railway station is Pathankot ( Lies on Broad Gauge).Pathankot is well connected from other parts of the Northern India.From Pathankot regular buses can drop you to Chamba.Alternatively you may hire a taxi to reach Chamba. The nearest narrow gauge head is Jogindernagar.
Reaching Chamba by Road-
Chamba is well connected to rest of the northern India by Road.Regular buses operate from cities like, Delhi, Chandigarh, Ambala, Amritsar, Shimla and Jammu. Deluxe ,semi-deluxe and A/C buses are available.Afew HPTDC buses also run from different parts of the northern India.
Where to stay in Chamba?-
Numerous budget hotels are there in Chamba with most of them located on the Temple Road and near Post Office. There are only a few good quality hotels and five star and four star hotels are rarity here. During high seasons tourists may get problem finding a good hotel.So, it would be advisable to book a hotel beforehand through a travel agent or on the internet. Tent and huts are also available here in Chamba which can add to your experience when you stay in it.There are some cheap hotels run by HPTDC and can be booked from HPTDC website.Where to eat in Chamba?-
Chamba has many cheap and and mid-range resytaurants that serve most of the north indian dishes.Many of them are located near Chaugan, temple road and post office. Most of the restaurants lso erve western dishes, south indian and chinese delicacies.Most of the hotels here has small restaurants attached which can be the most convenient place to eat.If you are looking for some local dishes then there are little options available.Just ask a local person for a place serving local dishes and they can guide you to a small restaurant serving some nice local delicacies.Best time to visit and clothings to carry-
Best time to visit Chamba is between April and October.Weather is cool and sky is generally clear during these days.After October winter sets in making the place extremely cold.Carry light woolens during summer months and heavy woolens during winter months (October to February).