Chamba district is located between north latitude 32° 11΄ 30″ and 33° 13΄ 6″, and east longitude 75°49΄and 77° 3΄ 30″. Chamba is bounded by Jammu & Kashmir on the north-west and west; Lahaul & Spiti district on the north-east and east; Kangra district on the south-east; Gurdaspur district of Punjab on the south. The total area of Chamba district is 6528 sq km and the total population, according to 2001 census, is 460,499. The whole district is mountainous with elevation ranging from 600 to 6200 m. Chamba district is divided into 6 sub-divisions, 7 Tehsils and 3 sub-Tehsils. There are 270 Gram Panchayats in the district.

The five Wazarats of erstwhile Chamba State namely Chamba, Bhattiyat, Churah, Pangi and Bharmour now form sub-divisions of Chamba district. The people are called Chambyals, Bhattiyals, Churahis, Pangwals and Bharmauris according to the area they belong to. Chamba has two tribal areas, Pangi and Bharmour. There is a sizeable population of the Bhots of Tibetan origin known as Bhatoris living in upper reaches of Pangi. Two nomadic tribes i.e. Gaddis and Gujjars inhabit some parts of the district. While Gaddis inhabit Bharmour and upper parts of Bhattiyat, the Gujjars are prefer Chamba, Churah and Salooni tehsils. The Gaddis own large flocks of sheep and goats; with them they spend the summer in the higher mountains of Pangi and Lahaul and the winters in the low hills bordering on the plains. The Gaddis are easily identifiable due to their typical dress comprising topa, chola and dora. They sport a hukah (smoking pipe) and khalru containing cereals and other essential articles on their back.

Dalhousie was founded in 1850’s when the British acquired five hills from the ruler of the Chamba state for developing a sanatorium. Nestled on the spur at the western end of Dhauladhar,  Dalhousie is favorite among those who seek solitude and restfulness. The greatest activity in Dalhousie is on and around the three level Malls which were laid in the early 1860s for promenades, carriages, horses, dandies, etc. these roads and the steeper by-lanes which connect them to the bus-stand are still the arteries of the town.

Khajjiar (2000 m) is a tiny tourist resort situated 24 km from Dalhousie. A small picturesque saucer-shaped plateau surrounded by dense pine and deodar forests, Khajjiar is one of the 160 places in the world to be designated “Mini Switzerland”. Khajjiar is about 95 km from Pathankot railway station and 130 km from the Gaggal airport in the Kangra district.

Pangi Valley is the remotest and the most beautiful valley of Chamba district. Sandwiched between Pir-panjal and Zaskar range, Pangi valley holds a great fascination for trekkers. The river Chandrabhaga rolls along in a deep and narrow gorge, where precipices spring from the brink in places almost perpendicular to heights of up to two thousand feet. On the lower ranges are the grassy slopes with dense forests, and the majestic mountains piled on one another, attain an altitude of 5000 to 6200 m. The valley can be approached through Chamba by crossing the difficult Sach pass (4400 m).

Bharmour, once called Brahmpura, was the ancient capital of Chamba for four hundred years. Situated at an altitude of 2100 m in the Budhil valley (32' 26" and 76' 32" E), 65 km to the south-east of Chamba, Bharmour is known not only for its scenic beauty but also for ancient temples.