During the first part of the travesía, travelers stay in the San Pedro de Atacama oasis at 2,500 meters (8,200 feet) above sea level. The explorations available to travelers during these 4 days are all at altitudes of between 4,000 and 6,000 meters (13,000 and 19,700 feet) above sea level, which will allow their bodies to acclimatize well enough to continue the journey to the Bolivian altiplano, which reaches altitudes between 3,600 and 4,700 meters (11,800 and 15,400 feet) above sea level. The travesía ends on the Pacific coast, at sea level.
With an average of more than 328 days of sunshine a year, the climate in San Pedro de Atacama is very pleasant. Average daytime temperatures range from 8ºC to 23ºC (46ºF to 73ºF) in the winter and from 12ºC to 25ºC (54ºF to 77ºF) in the summer.
Between January and March, the altiplano's "Bolivian winter" phenomenon has a moderate effect on San Pedro, causing occasional rainfall. In the Uyuni area, the phenomenon has a much stronger effect, damaging roads and blocking paths. For this reason, the travesía to Uyuni is only available between April and December.
The climate when traveling and touring through Uyuni is just as dry as in San Pedro de Atacama but it is much colder, due to its high altitude. The daytime temperatures range from 2ºC to 15ºC (36ºF to 60ºF) in the winter months (May to August), dropping down to as low as -20ºC (-4ºF) at night. From September to December, the daytime temperatures range from 5ºC to 20ºC (41ºF to 68ºF).
