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Chamba town on the bank of the Ravi, seen from the hillside above
Day planFirst visitTemples & heritagerelaxed

One day in Chamba — the old town on foot

A one-day Chamba plan on foot: Champavati Temple, the Lakshmi Narayan temples, the Chaugan, the Bhuri Singh Museum and Chamunda Devi. Free, copyable.
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Photo: Ms Sarah Welch · CC0

One day for the old town of Chamba. Champavati Temple and the Lakshmi Narayan temples are a minute apart, the Chaugan and the Bhuri Singh Museum face each other across the town, and Chamunda Devi Temple closes the day from the hill.

It leaves out Chhatrari, which needs a day of its own; the two-day plan adds it.

Photos: Ms Sarah Welch (CC0) · Ms Sarah Welch (CC0) — via Wikimedia Commons, resized.

Who this is for

Anyone with a single day in Chamba, or breaking the road between Dalhousie and Bharmour.

Day by day

Day 1

Temples, the Chaugan and the hill

Everything in the old town is within a minute or two on foot; only the hill temple needs a car.

  1. 09:00
    Champavati Temple, Chamba
    temple · 1 min from Chamba · about 45 min there
    The 10th-century stone temple the town is named for. Look at the carving on the outer walls first.
  2. ↓ a short walk
    10:00
    Lakshmi Narayan Group of Temples, Chamba
    temple · 1 min from Chamba · about 45 min there
    A row of Vaishnava temples built between the 10th and 19th centuries, a minute from the first stop.
  3. ↓ a short walk
    11:30
    Chaugan
    park · 1 min from Chamba · about 45 min there
    The long green at the centre of town. Walk its length and sit for a while; the old palace and the temples face it.
  4. ↓ a short walk
    14:00
    Bhuri Singh Museum
    viewpoint · 1 min from Chamba · about 20 min there
    Opened in 1908, with Pahari miniatures and old inscriptions. A good indoor stop after lunch.
  5. ↓ 8 min by road · 3 km
    16:30
    Chamunda Devi Temple, Chamba
    temple · 8 min from Chamba · about 45 min there
    The wooden temple on the hill opposite the town, eight minutes by car, for the view as the light drops.

Getting there

Chamba is about 40 km from Dalhousie, roughly 90 minutes by car or bus. See the hub guide for the full arrival table.

Where to stay

Stay in Chamba itself. Every stop but the hill temple is a short walk from the old town.

Know before you go

  • Start with the temples early, before the lanes fill; the carving shows best in low light.
  • Take a taxi up to Chamunda Devi in the late afternoon, not a walk after a full day.

Places on this route

Lakshmi Narayan Temples, Chamba
Lakshmi Narayan Temples, Chamba
temple · 1 min from Chamba
Champavati Temple, Chamba
Champavati Temple, Chamba
temple · 1 min from Chamba
Chamunda Devi Temple, Chamba
Chamunda Devi Temple, Chamba
temple · 8 min from Chamba

Other ways to do it

All Chamba itineraries →
Two days in Chamba — the old town and Chhatrari
1 night · 2 days · First visitTemples & heritage
Two days in Chamba — the old town and Chhatrari
A two-day Chamba plan: the old-town temples and the hill temple on day one, then a day trip to the 8th-century Shakti Devi Temple. Free, copyable.
Best Mar–Jun · Oct–Nov
See the plan →

Questions people ask

Can you see Chamba in one day?

Yes, the old town itself. Champavati Temple, the Lakshmi Narayan temples, the Chaugan and the Bhuri Singh Museum are all within a minute or two of each other on foot, and Chamunda Devi Temple is eight minutes by car for the late afternoon.

What is the Chaugan?

A long open green at the centre of Chamba, about 800 m by 80 m, made in 1890 by joining five small ones. Cricket, picnics and evening walks happen here, and during the Minjar fair it becomes a market, which is worth knowing when planning a visit.

Is a car needed in Chamba?

Only for the hill temple. The rest of the old town is a walk, so a car or taxi is for the eight-minute climb to Chamunda Devi Temple in the late afternoon. Everything else on this plan is within a minute or two of the next stop on foot.