Things to Do in Kuwait City in December
December weather, activities, events & insider tips
Shoulder Season · Good Value
December Weather in Kuwait City
Temperature, rainfall and humidity at a glance
70°F (21°C)
High Temp
48°F (9°C)
Low Temp
1.0 inches (25 mm)
Rainfall
70%
Humidity
Is December Right for You?
Weigh the advantages and considerations before booking
Advantages
- + December hands you Kuwait City's most forgiving weather. Days stay mild enough for corniche walks without sweat soaking your shirt. Nights carry enough desert chill to make a wool shawl feel right. Perfect balance.
- + The city's parks finally get used. Al Shaheed Park sparkles with water features. Green Island draws crowds. Families spread tartan blankets for picnics. Charcoal-grilled shish tawook scents the air. Children chase soccer balls across manicured grass. Locals own these spaces now.
- + Peak diwaniya season arrives. Those low-slung carpeted rooms attached to homes spill into public spaces. Men gather nightly. They sip cardamom coffee from tiny cups. Politics. Poetry. Everything gets debated. Canvas tents hum with conversation. This is the evening soundtrack.
- + Hotel rates stay reasonable. Compare them to scorching summer when everyone flees. Last-minute rooms open up at places booked solid elsewhere. December rewards the spontaneous.
Considerations
- − That 'variable' tag means anything goes. Crystal-clear 21°C (70°F) days happen. So do moody, overcast ones. Fine dust haze arrives. Locals call it 'turab'. It mutes the skyline. Leaves grit on your skin. Pack layers.
- − Not peak season. But watch out. School holidays overlap with National Day prep. February looms. Local families flood attractions on weekends. The Scientific Center aquarium becomes chaos. Shrieking toddlers by Saturday afternoon. Plan weekdays instead.
- − Gulf water drops to 20°C (68°F). Too bracing for most swimmers. Beaches at Messilah and Al Kout shift purpose. Cool sand underfoot. Strolling weather. Wave diving? Skip it.
Best Activities in December
Top things to do during your visit
Kuwait City Corniche Walking & Cycling Tours
Use the 10 km (6.2 mile) Gulf Road corniche now. Summer's punishing heat has vanished. Gentle breeze carries salt tang. Kuwaitis emerge. Joggers at dawn. Couples at sunset. Fading light turns Kuwait Towers into silhouettes. The path stays flat. Well-maintained. Uninterrupted skyline views from the water's edge. December's mild temperatures let you cover the whole distance. No wreckage.
Booking Tip: No formal tour needed. Just show up. Want historical context? Licensed cultural guides explain the architecture. See current options below. Organized walking tours include the corniche.
Kuwaiti Heritage & Food Tours in the Old Souks
Souk Al-Mubarakiya's labyrinthine alleys become bearable. Pleasant, even. Covered sections provide shade without suffocating. Open-air courtyards fill with roasting Arabic coffee and burning oud. Seasonal goods appear. Fresh dates from fall harvest. Warm lugaimat dough balls, syrup-soaked, taste best when air carries a nip. Guided food tours in December let you sample at human pace. No rushing between air-conditioned escapes.
Booking Tip: Book food-focused tours a few days ahead. Best guides work small groups. Prioritize operators with vendor stall access. They explain ingredients. Check the booking widget for current souk and food tour options.
Desert Safari & Overnight Camping Excursions
Winter owns the Kuwaiti desert. Sand loses its blistering heat. Merely warm by day. Cool by night. Operators run 4x4 trips beyond Al-Jahra. Profound silence waits there. Wind shapes dune crests. Campfires pop. December nights demand thick blankets. Traditional Bedouin camps with fire and star-gazing become cozy. Not just photo ops. Real warmth.
Booking Tip: Popular weekend activity for residents. Book a week ahead. Overnight trips fill fastest. Verify your operator. Licensed status matters. Check camping gear provision. Confirm roll cages on vehicles. See desert safari options in the booking section.
Dhow Harbor & Seafront Exploration Tours
Working dhow harbors shine in December's soft golden light. Al-Boom near the Scientific Center delivers. Wooden hulls, tar-stained and salt-worn, creak against rubber tires. Diesel mixes with drying fish nets. Sea salt completes it. Guided tours explain maritime history better than museums. Modern skyline connects to pearling origins. Cooler weather lets you linger on piers. Watch fishermen mend nets. No rush for cover.
Booking Tip: Tours often include short dhow rides. Book a couple days ahead. Seek guides with maritime or historical background. Current dhow and harbor combinations live in the booking widget.
Cultural & Architectural Sightseeing Tours
December's clear days suit Kuwait City's stark modernist architecture. Light stays sharp without blinding. Deep shadows fall on geometric facades. National Assembly. Central Bank. Guided tours help here. Stories live in concrete and politics, not just shapes. Cooler air makes taxi waits bearable. Summer turns them into ordeals.
Booking Tip: Architectural tours stay niche. Book several days ahead. Secure your guide. Prioritize tours with interior access when possible. Driving past teaches little. See sightseeing tour options in the booking section for current availability.
Where to Stay in Kuwait City in December
Hand-picked hotels across price tiers for December travellers.
December Events & Festivals
What's happening during your visit
Mid December through February
Liberation Day / National Day Preparations
Kuwait doesn't celebrate in December. But it starts gearing up. From mid-December, you'll see the city begin to dress itself for the February festivities. Streets get lined with green, white, red, and black bunting, and massive light displays are erected along the Gulf Road. It's a fascinating glimpse into national pride in its preparatory phase. Less crowded spectacle, more behind-the-scenes civic effort. The corniche at night becomes a drive-through gallery of evolving light sculptures.
Packing Checklist
Bookmark this page — your progress is saved between visits
Need the full list with shopping links?
Climate-specific gear, brand recommendations, and what to leave at home.
View Kuwait City Packing List →Essential Tips
Insider knowledge and common pitfalls to avoid
Insider Knowledge
The best time for photography on the corniche is the hour before sunset. The low angle of the sun turns the glass towers warm gold, and the Kuwait Towers become backlit silhouettes. The locals know this. That's when you'll see them with their own cameras.
For an authentic diwaniya experience without an invitation, head to the coffee shops in the Salmiya or Dasma areas after 8 PM. The outdoor seating sections often replicate the vibe. Groups of men (and increasingly, mixed groups) lounge on floor cushions, sharing a hookah, and talking for hours. Order a 'gahwa' (Arabic coffee) and just absorb the rhythm.
Friday morning is the quietest time in the city. Use it to visit popular spots like the Grand Mosque or the Tareq Rajab Museum. You'll have them largely to yourself before local families emerge for afternoon outings.
If it drizzles or rains, don't cancel your plans. Head to the Avenues Mall. But not just to shop. Its themed 'avenues' are a spectacle of architectural pastiche. Wandering from a replica of a Venetian canal to a neon-soaked American main street is a bizarre and uniquely Kuwaiti indoor experience.
Avoid These Mistakes
Underestimating the temperature drop at night. Leaving your hotel for dinner in just a light shirt is a recipe for a shivering walk back.
Trying to pack a desert safari into a half-day. The real magic is at sunset and after dark. A rushed afternoon trip misses the point and the best light.
Assuming everything runs on Western weekend schedules. The weekend here is Friday-Saturday. Many museums and cultural sites are closed Friday morning, opening only after noon prayers.
Book Experiences in Kuwait City
Top-rated things to do in Kuwait City this December
Explore More Activities in Kuwait City
Didn't see anything interesting yet?
Browse Viator's full catalog of tours, day trips, food experiences, and private guides in Kuwait City.
See All Kuwait City Tours on Viator