It is a rugged hilly area with erosional denudation relief, tectonically disturbed, with distinct structural ridges and inselbergs.

The uplands have an area of 2,410 square kilometres (930 sq mi) and an average elevation of 366 metres (1,201 ft).

Several reservoirs built on the Vltava are located in the Benešov Uplands: Orlík, Kamýk, Slapy, Štěchovice, and Vrané.

Suitable natural conditions contributed to the creation of many settlements in the Benešov Uplands, but there are no large cities.

The most valuable small-scale protected areas are the national nature reserves Ve Studeném and Voděradské bučiny.