Things to do in Chamba — 5 stops, and which need a car
How this list is built
Sorted by distance from the old town, because that is how a day in Chamba gets planned: what is a walk, what needs a car. The minutes are our own road routing. Each entry links to its own page, and all of them sit inside one of our copyable itineraries.
Photos: Ms Sarah Welch (CC0) — via Wikimedia Commons, resized.
On foot in the old town
1. Champavati Temple
The 10th-century stone temple the town is named for, built by Raja Sahil Varman for his daughter. A short visit with carved walls to look at. Champavati Temple.
2. Lakshmi Narayan temples
A row of Vaishnava temples built between the 10th and 19th centuries, a minute from Champavati, with gilded pinnacles from 1678. Lakshmi Narayan temples.
3. The Chaugan and the Bhuri Singh Museum
The Chaugan is a long green, about 800 m by 80 m, that becomes a market during the Minjar fair. Across from it the Bhuri Singh Museum, opened in 1908, holds Pahari miniatures and old inscriptions.
By car
4. Chamunda Devi Temple
A wooden gabled temple consecrated in 1762 on the hill across from the town, eight minutes by road. Chamunda Devi Temple.
5. Shakti Devi Temple, Chhatrari
An 8th-century temple about 48 km away, roughly 99 minutes each way. A full day, and the reason to stay a second night. Shakti Devi Temple.
Putting it together
The one-day plan covers stops 1 to 4. The two-day plan adds Chhatrari. For arrival, see how to reach Chamba, and for timing, when to visit Chamba.
Questions people ask
What are the best things to do in Chamba?
Start with the old town: Champavati Temple, the Lakshmi Narayan temples, the Chaugan and the Bhuri Singh Museum, all within a minute or two on foot. Then add Chamunda Devi Temple on the hill, and Chhatrari if you have a second day to spend.
What can you do in Chamba for free?
Walk the Chaugan and the temple lanes, which cost nothing beyond a small donation if you choose to give one. What costs money is the taxi to the hill temple and the long drive to Chhatrari, so budget for the car on those two stops.
How many days do you need in Chamba?
One day covers the old town on foot. A second day adds the drive to Chhatrari, about 99 minutes each way. Most visitors combine Chamba with a stop in Dalhousie, which is about 90 minutes away, and treat Chamba as the quieter half of the trip.