[5] Located on the foothills of the Mullayanagiri peak of the Western Ghats, the city attracts tourists from around the world for its pleasant and favourable hill station climate, tropical rainforest and coffee estates.

Chikmagalur is situated in the Malenadu region of Karnataka in the Deccan plateau in the foothills of the Western Ghats.

NH-173 (formerly KM Road) passes through the town connecting with the port city Mangalore, located 150 kilometres (93 mi) away.

State Highway 57 (Karnataka) connects the city to Mysore via Hassan in the south and to Shimoga, (via Lingadahalli) in the north.

Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation provides inter-state, inter-city and intra-city bus services to the city.