Things to Do in Kolkata in December
December weather, activities, events & insider tips
December Weather in Kolkata
Is December Right for You?
Advantages
- Peak festival season with Kolkata International Film Festival and Dover Lane Music Conference bringing world-class cultural programming you won't find other months - venues stay open late and the entire city feels electric
- Genuinely pleasant weather for walking the city - mornings start cool at 15°C (59°F), perfect for exploring North Kolkata's narrow lanes before temperatures climb to comfortable 27°C (80°F) by afternoon
- Winter vegetables flood the markets making this the absolute best time for Bengali food - kochu shaak, notey shaak, and the seasonal pithe (rice cakes) appear on every street corner and restaurant menu
- Lowest rainfall of the year at essentially 0 mm means you can actually plan outdoor activities without monsoon disruptions - though those 10 variable days keep things interesting with occasional winter fog
Considerations
- High tourist season means Victoria Memorial and Indian Museum get genuinely crowded between 11am-3pm, and hotel prices in decent neighborhoods jump 40-60% compared to monsoon months
- Morning fog can disrupt flights and trains, especially mid-December - I've seen 3-4 hour delays become routine when visibility drops below 50 m (164 ft) around dawn
- The pleasant weather paradoxically creates worse traffic as everyone's out - crossing Park Street or the Maidan area between 4-7pm can take twice as long as usual
Best Activities in December
Heritage Walking Tours Through North Kolkata
December mornings are actually perfect for exploring the old city's terracotta temples and crumbling mansions - you'll start at 7am when it's still 15-16°C (59-61°F) and finish by 11am before the heat builds. The winter light is spectacular for photography, and you'll catch locals doing their morning rituals at the ghats. The cooler weather means you can comfortably walk 5-7 km (3.1-4.3 miles) without feeling destroyed. Book tours that cover Kumartuli potter's quarter, Jorasanko Thakurbari, and the marble palaces.
Sundarbans Mangrove Wildlife Excursions
December through February is peak season for Sundarbans trips because the weather cooperates and tiger sightings increase as animals come to water sources. The 70% humidity sounds rough but it's actually manageable on the water with boat breezes. You'll need 2-3 days for proper trips leaving from Godkhali jetty. The lack of rainfall means boats run reliably and you're not dealing with monsoon cancellations. Wildlife activity peaks in winter months.
Pottery and Artisan Workshop Experiences in Kumartuli
December is when Kumartuli potters start preparing for Saraswati Puja in late January, so you'll see the clay idol-making process in full swing. The comfortable temperatures mean workshop spaces aren't sweltering, and you can actually spend 2-3 hours learning techniques without melting. The cooler weather also means the clay behaves better. This is genuinely the best season to watch master craftsmen work.
Hooghly River Sunset Cruises
The winter sunset around 5pm coincides perfectly with the golden hour, and the cooler evening temperatures make river cruises actually pleasant rather than sticky and miserable. You'll see the Howrah Bridge and Vidyasagar Setu lit up as darkness falls around 5:30pm. The variable weather occasionally gives you dramatic cloud formations. December evenings on the water sit around 20-22°C (68-72°F) - genuinely lovely conditions.
Street Food Walking Tours in Central Kolkata
December brings seasonal pithe (rice cakes), nolen gur (date palm jaggery) sweets, and winter vegetables that you simply won't find other months. The evening weather around 22-24°C (72-75°F) is perfect for wandering between food stalls without sweating through your clothes. College Street, New Market, and Tiretti Bazaar areas are most active 6-9pm. The comfortable temperatures mean food stays fresh longer at outdoor stalls.
Botanical Garden and Eco-Park Nature Visits
The Great Banyan Tree at Acharya Jagadish Chandra Bose Botanical Garden is actually manageable to visit in December - you can walk the 330 m (1,083 ft) circumference without collapsing from heat. Morning visits around 7-9am when temperatures are still 16-18°C (61-64°F) are ideal. The gardens are genuinely beautiful in winter with migratory birds passing through. Eco-Park in New Town also sees winter blooms and comfortable cycling weather.
December Events & Festivals
Kolkata International Film Festival
Usually held in early December, this week-long festival screens 100+ films from around the world at venues across the city including Nandan and Rabindra Sadan. You'll see everything from European art house cinema to restored classics. The festival atmosphere takes over the Maidan area with outdoor screenings and film discussions. Tickets are remarkably cheap at 20-50 rupees per screening and locals take cinema seriously here.
Dover Lane Music Conference
This all-night classical music festival typically runs in late December and is one of India's most prestigious Hindustani classical music events. Performances start around 9pm and continue until dawn with legendary musicians performing extended ragas. It happens at Nazrul Mancha near Rabindra Sarobar Lake. Bring cushions because you'll be sitting on the ground for hours, but the winter weather makes all-night outdoor concerts actually bearable.
Christmas Celebrations in Park Street and Bow Barracks
Kolkata's Anglo-Indian community goes all out for Christmas with Park Street transformed by elaborate lighting displays and decorations from early December through New Year. Bow Barracks in Central Kolkata becomes a destination with home decorations, carol singing, and traditional Christmas cakes. The festivities peak December 24-25 with midnight masses at St. Paul's Cathedral and Park Street packed with revelers until 2-3am.