It lies between the valleys of the Rhine (to the southeast) and the Tamina (to the northwest), and is separated from the Ringelspitz by the Kunkels Pass.

The name Calanda derives from the Latin "calare", roughly meaning roll down, which refers to the ever-moving southern face that can be seen at Felsberg and is still an active rock slide.

The shallow southeastern slopes lie in Graubünden, within the municipalities of Mastrils, Untervaz, Haldenstein, Felsberg and Tamins, whereas most of the steeper slopes on the northwest lie in the Canton of St. Gallen, in the municipality of Pfäfers.

A Swiss Alpine Club mountain hut, the Calandahütte, sites on slopes below Haldensteiner Calanda, at an elevation of 2073 m. The two main summits can be reached from the south by hiking: Haldensteiner Calanda by a route rated T3 on the SAC Hiking Scale [de], and Felsberger Calanda by a T4 route, which requires more experience in route finding and a head for heights to a certain degree.

[3] At Felsberg, the local produced wine is called Goldene Sonne, a reminder of a gold mine in the southern face of Calanda.