Chamba is the northwestern border district of Himachal Pradesh. To its north and west is the state of Jammu and Kashmir; to its east are Lahaul and Spiti and to its south and southeast is the district of Kangra. The villages and towns are set beautifully amidst the backdrop of the Pir Panjal, Great Himalayan and Zanskar ranges. The valleys have fields and villages with a number of streams intercepting them while the mountain slopes are covered with Deodar and Pine forests. The mighty Pir Panjal range and the Dhauladhar range are both guardians of this district. The snow-fed rivers – Ravi and Chenab, both flow through the Chamba district. The pine covered forests rise up to the higher set rocky and snowy peaks of the Himalayas. The roads are winding and the countryside is rough but the natural beauty of the place leaves no room for regret. The  mountain slopes and hills are covered with conifers, pines, oaks, junipers, rhododendrons, etc.

Chamba has a rugged mountainous terrain and this is what made it difficult for invaders to establish control over the local rulers, and so the social, cultural and religious structure of the people of Chamba remained unchanged to a very large extent. For this reason, a number of old tribes can be found in Chamba. The people here have preserved their ancient cultural heritage, which still influences the customs and traditions of the day. Gujjars, Gaddis and Pangwals are some of the well-known tribes of Chamba. Their culture, customs, beliefs and habits are different from the rest of the district. These are semi-nomadic and semi-pastoral tribes. The ‘Gaddis’ live exclusively in the ranges that divide the Chamba and Kangra districts. Half the year is spent in cultivating their fields and the other half is spent in search of grass and fodder for their herd and temporary employment for themselves. They have strict moral codes and are simple, virtuous people who live in a joint family. They worship Lord Shiva and Nags and Sidha, as well as Kailung Devi and Birs. The ‘Gujjar’ tribes are both Hindu and Muslim. They live in the jungles and lead a nomadic life. Temporary periods are spent in valleys or villages and the rest of the time is spent in search of grass for their cattle. These are brave, hard-working, social and hospitable people who live in a joint family. They have their own ancient customs and do not look formally on those imposing new customs upon them. Their food is simple and they love milk and milk products. The Hindu Gujjars have settled down permanently and depend mainly on agriculture. The Gujjars can walk along long distances without rest and can negotiate dangerous ways through the forests. The ‘Pangwal’ tribe lives in the snow bound areas of Chamba. The people are simple, humble, religious minded, hard working and honest. Most live in the Pangi valley of Chamba and due to the snow bound climate, their food consists of barley, rye, wheat, grains and grasses and roots like ‘Kangash’ and ‘Chukri’. These God fearing people worship many Hindu Gods and Goddesses.

The ancient temples of Chamba are richly carved and resemble those of Rajasthan. So, along with the usual pent-roofed hill temples, one can also find temples with spines on them. A number of temples have strong wooden structures and even the carving is done on wood. The valleys are open and colorful and the forests are dense and amidst them, are found the ancient temples dedicated to Hindu Gods and Goddesses. The wild life in Chamba is different for the lower mountains and for the snow-bound Himalayas. In lower ranges, one can find leopards, musk deer, boars and bears and at higher altitudes, snow leopard, marmot and bex can be seen. Wild fowl, partridges along with pheasants can be found all over the valley. Some of the places, you can visit in the district are – Chamba, Dalhousie, Bharmaur, Sarol, Bhandal valley, Salooni, Pangi valley, Killar, Khajjiar and Purthi.

Chamba district is famous for its leather-craft and ‘embroidered Rumals’. The slippers made in Chamba are exceptionally comfortable and light. They are made of leather and are ideal for walking or hiking in the mountains. One can get them as plain or decorated in embroidered Lantana flowers, leaves and designs. New and different kinds of designs are used today to make decorative leather shoes, slippers, socks, belts, etc. The other craft of Chamba is its unique embroidery style. The Chamba ‘Rumal’ or handkerchief about 2 to 6 feet in length, is an important part of a Chamba bride's trousseau. This handkerchief is also known as ‘Kashida’. The embroidery is same on both sides and the threads used are silken and colorful. The cloth used, can be cotton or silk and is usually white or cream in color. The designs are made in running stitches with the space filled in so that the picture appears on both sides of the handkerchief. The designs retain an almost painting kind of an appearance and are an ideal gift from the region.

In the centre of the town there is a spacious playground called Chaugan. It is a grassy land. It is 805m in length and 73m wide. Here people gather for social, political or religious meetings or any sports event. It is busy local trading centre. The Minjar festival is held each year in late July/early Aug.

The most striking of the temples of Chamba are the six temples lying in a row near the palace. They are dedicated to Lord Vishnu and three to Lord Shiva. All these have 'shikharas', which distinguish them from the rest of the temples. The richly carved Laxmi Narayan temple is the oldest one. It is directly opposite to the entrance of the complex. It was built during the region of the founder of Chamba, Raja Sahib Varman in 10^th century. The image of Laxmi Narayan temple is enshrined and is open from 6am – 12.30pm and 2.30-8.30pm.

Bhuri Singh museum is a rich storehouse of Chamba’s cultural heritage and consists miniature paintings of Kangra and Basholi schools of art. It also has some material relating to the history of the regions and some murals of Rang Mahal palace. The museum is open from Tuesday till Friday, Sunday, and every second Saturday from 10am to 5pm.

It is an ancient temple of Chamunda Devi. This temple is dedicated to Durga in her wrathful aspect as Chamunda Devi. It is one km from Chaugan. Just before the steps of the temple, is a small pillar bearing the footprints of the goddess and behind the temple is a very small old Shikara style temple dedicated to Lord Shiva.

This too is a Shikara style temple near the fire station. It was built in 11^th century. It is dedicated to Lord Vishnu. It enshrines a triple headed image of Vaikuntha Vishnu.

This temple is dedicated to Sui Mata. It is about 10-min. walk from Chamunda Devi temple. Sui, being the princes of Chamba, gave her life for the inhabitants of Chamba.

30 km from Chamba near Baira Siul project is a popular temple named Katasan Devi temple. One can have a view of Chamba valley from the premises of this temple. A large number of devotees come here and visit this goddess.

It is a smaller, continuous range of about 2000m (6561ft). It runs south of the snowy ranges having a height of 1829 (6000ft). It is 56km from Chamba and gives a beautiful view of snow covered hills.

22km from Salooni is a beautiful spot for wildlife lovers. The Bhandal Valley is situated at a height of 1831m (6006ft). It is a link between Chamba and Jammu & Kashmir.

Bharmaur is the ancient capital of Chamba. It is at a height of 1981m. (6500ft). It is 69 km away from the new capital of which 46km are motorable and rest of 23km can be travelled by jeeps. From Bharmaur there is a trek over high mountains, which leads to a beautiful lake known as 'Mani Mahesh'. Here, thousands of pilgrims gather and offer puja. Mani Mahesh consists of ancient temples built in 8^th, 9^th and 10^th centuries.

Sarol known as 'Apian Retreat', is 11km away from Chamba. It is a beautiful picnic spot. There are magnificent agricultural gardens and sheep breeding farms. Here one can find a bee-keeping centre also. It is a 8km journey by bus and the remaining 3kms are covered on foot.

Pangi, popularly known as 'Land of pretty faces', is the ambition of many travellers. It is situated at an altitude of 2438m(8000ft), and the great river Chandra Bhaga flows in a deep narrow gorge. Due to its geographical location, travelling in this region is difficult and therefore it is not commercialized. This region therefore retains its virgin beauty.