Pakistan
Islamabad in December
🧥 WinterPleasant and mostly dry. Watch for hazy air.
🎒 Pack: warm jacket for evenings · N95 mask for hazy days
Why December scores 6.9What goes into the score
How it works- Weather comfort9.2
- ✓Comfortable temperatures (20°C highs / 5°C lows)
- ✓Comfortable humidity (dew point 0.6°C)
- ✓Mostly dry (~26 mm rain)
- Air quality3.3
- !Unhealthy (PM2.5 ~62 µg/m³) — score capped at 6.9
- Seasonal hazards10.0
- ·No notable seasonal hazards
- Safety baseline5.0
- ·High caution
| Dec | Apr | |
|---|---|---|
| Score | 6.9 Good | 8.7 Excellent |
| Season | 🧥 Winter | 🌷 Spring |
| High / low | 20° / 5° | 31° / 17° |
| Rain | 26 mm | 58 mm |
| Humidity | dew pt 1° | dew pt 12° |
| PM2.5 | 62 µg/m³ | 22 µg/m³ |
Typical-month data: NASA POWER (MERRA-2 reanalysis) 2015–2024 (modelled, not a forecast). Temperatures: Islamabad weather-station normals. Rainfall: Islamabad weather-station normals (national met service).
Holidays & crowdsDecember 2026
Long weekendThere's at least one long weekend. Domestic travel picks up and popular spots get busier over those days.
- Quaid-e-Azam Day 25–27 Dec · 3 days off in a row
National holidays only; regional holidays and school breaks aren't included. Source: holidays (open-source public-holiday calendar).
Explore IslamabadEvents, sights, food & souvenirs
Check event dates locallyPakistan's planned capital sits at the foot of the Margalla Hills and is green, orderly and calm. Visitors come for its landmark mosque, hiking trails and as a base for northern Pakistan.
No major events on our calendar for December.
Coming up later
RamadanDate variesMoves about 11 days earlier each year; roughly mid-February to mid-March in 2026 and February to early March in 2027
Holy month of fasting, followed by Eid al-Fitr.
Why go: Avoid eating in public in daylight; many restaurants open after sunset.
Where: Across the city
Pakistan DayEvery year23 March every year
National holiday with a military parade in the capital.
Why go: Expect road closures and tighter security.
Where: Islamabad
Independence DayEvery year14 August every year
National celebrations with flags and fireworks.
Why go: Festive atmosphere; public holiday and busy roads.
Where: Across the city
Faisal Mosque
Huge modern mosque shaped like a desert tent at the foot of the hills.
💡 Dress modestly; women should cover their hair and everyone removes shoes.
Pakistan Monument
Petal-shaped national monument with views over the city.
Daman-e-Koh
Viewpoint in the Margalla Hills overlooking the city.
Lok Virsa Museum
Museum of Pakistan's folk heritage and crafts.
Margalla Hills trails
Well-used hiking trails starting from the city's edge.
💡 Start early, carry water and stick to marked trails.
Chicken karahi
Chicken cooked in a wok with tomatoes, ginger and chilli.
💡 Restaurants across the city
Chapli kebab
Flat spiced minced-meat patty from the northwest.
💡 Grill restaurants
Nihari
Slow-cooked beef stew, traditionally eaten for breakfast.
💡 Traditional restaurants
Doodh patti chai
Strong milky tea boiled with milk.
💡 Tea stalls and cafes
Handicrafts and embroidery
Textiles, wood carving and crafts from across Pakistan.
💡 Lok Virsa and markets such as Jinnah Super Market
Truck art souvenirs
Brightly painted items in Pakistan's famous truck-art style.
💡 Craft shops and markets
Shawls
Wool shawls in traditional designs.
💡 Markets such as Jinnah Super Market
Airport transfer Kiwitaxi
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