Kalatop Wildlife Sanctuary
park · 5.7 km away
dam1 h 3 min from Dalhousie
Chamera Dam
Chamera Dam, a concrete gravity dam across the Ravi river near Dalhousie, holds back Chamera Lake and powers three hydroelectric plants totalling 1,071 MW.
What it is
A concrete gravity dam across the Ravi river near Dalhousie, built for hydroelectric power. Three plants completed in 1994, 2003 and 2012 draw on the reservoir behind it, Chamera Lake, whose bulk lies further along in the Salooni sub-division of Chamba district.
Getting there
About 63 minutes by road from Dalhousie, roughly 28 km — the furthest of the standard day trips from town, and worth treating as its own outing rather than squeezing in after Khajjiar on the same day.
The visit
The dam and its reservoir are the sight here — a working hydroelectric structure across the Ravi, with the surrounding Pir Panjal hills visible from the water's edge. It's an engineering landmark first, not a recreational lakeside stop, though the setting itself is worth the drive.
> between them, plus the distance from Dalhousie, makes for a full day rather than a relaxed one.
When to go
April to June or September and October, matching the rest of Dalhousie's clearer windows — heavy monsoon rain can affect road conditions on the approach.
Around it
Khajjiar, on the way back towards Dalhousie, is the natural pairing on the same day, covered on the two-day plan. Closer to town, Kalatop Wildlife Sanctuary, Dainkund and Pohlani Mata Temple fill the one-day loop instead.
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Questions people ask
What is Chamera Dam?
A concrete gravity dam across the Ravi river, built for hydroelectric power. Three separate plants completed in 1994, 2003 and 2012 draw on the reservoir, with a combined generating capacity of 1,071 megawatts across all three phases put together in total.
What is Chamera Lake?
The reservoir held back by Chamera Dam — a large body of water whose bulk lies further along in the Salooni sub-division of Chamba district, formed specifically for generating hydroelectricity rather than for any kind of recreation on the water itself.
How far is Chamera Dam from Dalhousie?
About 63 minutes by road, roughly 28 km — the furthest of Dalhousie's standard day trips, genuinely its own outing rather than a quick add-on tacked onto a Khajjiar visit on the very same single travel day of a trip.