Chikmagalur, officially Chikkamagaluru is an administrative district in the Malnad subregion of Karnataka, India. Coffee was first cultivated in India in Chikmagalur. The hills of Chikmagalur are parts of the Western Ghats and the source of Tunga and Bhadra rivers. Mullayanagiri, the highest peak in Karnataka is located in the district. The area is well known for the Sringeri Mutt that houses the Dakshina Peeta established by Adi Shankaracharya.

Malnad is a region in the state of Karnataka, India. Malenadu covers the western and eastern slopes of the Western Ghats mountain range and is roughly 100 kilometers in width. The region experiences heavy annual rainfall of 1,000–3,800 millimetres ; it includes the village of Agumbe, which receives the highest annual rainfall in Karnataka.