Wertatscha stands on the main chain of the Karavanks, which marks the border here between Austria (municipality of Ferlach) and Slovenia (municipality of Žirovnica). To the north the mountain drops in steep, up to 600-metre-high, rock faces into the valley of Bodental above Windisch Bleiberg; the southern side is gentler. To the west the massif of Wertatscha is bounded by the Bleischitz Saddle (1,840 m); below which is the Klagenfurter Hut an important base for an ascent of the mountain. To the northeast the chain continues over the col of Pautzscharte (1,950 m) to the Pautz (Slovenian: Zelenjak, 2,024 m) and the -high Selenitza. To the east Wertatscha drops down a rock face to the cirque of Suho ruševje. To the southeast lies the mountain hut of Dom na Zelenici, another important starting point, at -high on the Selenitza Saddle.