Hessisch Lichtenau lies in the Werra-Meißner-Kreis 20 km southeast of Kassel between the Kaufunger Wald in the north, the Hoher Meißner (753.6 m above sea level) in the east, the Stölzinger Hills with the Eisberg (583 m) in the southeast and the Söhre in the south. The main town lies on the river Losse.