Things to Do in Sucre in December
December weather, activities, events & insider tips
December Weather in Sucre
Is December Right for You?
Advantages
- Rainy season is officially over - December marks the beginning of Sucre's dry season, meaning you'll get mostly sunny mornings and early afternoons with only occasional afternoon showers (about 10 days total). The rain that does fall tends to be brief and refreshing rather than the sustained downpours of November.
- Festival season peaks in early December - Sucre celebrates the Feast of the Immaculate Conception on December 8th, and the entire first week involves processions, traditional dances, and street food that you won't see any other time of year. The Plaza 25 de Mayo becomes an open-air celebration with locals in traditional dress.
- Perfect hiking weather in the mornings - Those 10°C to 22°C (50°F to 72°F) temperatures mean you can tackle the trails around Maragua Crater or the Inca Trail to Chataquila between 7am and 2pm without overheating. The altitude at 2,790 m (9,150 ft) makes afternoons warm but mornings genuinely cool and comfortable for physical activity.
- Low tourist season means better prices and availability - December sits in that sweet spot after North American Thanksgiving but before the Christmas-New Year rush. Hotels in the colonial center typically run 30-40% below their July-August rates, and you can book quality accommodations just a week or two ahead rather than months in advance.
Considerations
- Afternoon weather becomes unpredictable after 3pm - That 70% humidity combined with afternoon heating creates conditions where you might get a sudden downpour or you might get nothing at all. It makes planning outdoor activities for late afternoon a bit of a gamble, and you'll want to carry rain gear even on sunny mornings.
- UV exposure is intense at this altitude - UV index of 8 at 2,790 m (9,150 ft) means you can get seriously burned in under 20 minutes, even on cloudy days. The thin air at altitude provides less UV protection than you're probably used to, and tourists consistently underestimate this. You'll see locals covering up even when it feels mild.
- Some businesses close for the second half of December - Many locally-owned restaurants, tour operators, and shops shut down from December 20th onward as owners travel to visit family for the holidays. If you're visiting after December 18th, you'll find a noticeably quieter city with reduced dining and tour options, though major tourist services remain open.
Best Activities in December
Maragua Crater hiking and paleontology tours
December mornings offer ideal conditions for the 3-4 hour hike into the Maragua Crater, where you'll see dinosaur footprints and Cretaceous-era rock formations. The morning temperatures of 10-15°C (50-59°F) make the ascent comfortable, and the dry season means trails are firm rather than muddy. The crater sits about 65 km (40 miles) from Sucre, and December visibility is excellent for viewing the geological layers. Start by 7am to avoid afternoon weather uncertainty.
Colonial architecture walking tours in the historic center
Sucre's UNESCO-listed white colonial buildings look particularly striking in December's clear morning light, and the low tourist season means you can actually photograph Casa de la Libertad and the cathedral without crowds. The 2,790 m (9,150 ft) altitude makes midday walking tiring, so morning tours from 9am-12pm work best. December weather allows you to spend 3-4 hours exploring the grid of colonial streets without overheating or getting caught in rain.
Tarabuco Sunday market and textile village visits
The Tarabuco market happens every Sunday year-round, but December is particularly good because it's after harvest season and before the heavy rains return in January-February. Locals from surrounding communities come to sell traditional weavings, and you'll see more authentic indigenous textiles than in Sucre's tourist shops. The 65 km (40 mile) drive takes about 90 minutes on mountain roads, and December's dry conditions make the journey much more comfortable than wet-season visits.
Parque Cretácico dinosaur tracksite visits
This outdoor paleontology park features the world's largest concentration of dinosaur footprints on a 1.5 km (0.9 mile) limestone wall. December's dry weather means better visibility of the tracks and more comfortable conditions for the 45-minute guided tour. The site sits just 5 km (3 miles) north of Sucre, making it an easy half-day activity. Morning visits before 11am avoid the strongest UV exposure and afternoon weather uncertainty.
Andean cooking classes and market tours
December brings seasonal ingredients like fresh habas (fava beans) and new potatoes to Sucre's Mercado Central, and cooking classes take advantage of these. The morning market tours from 8-9am show you ingredients at their freshest, followed by 2-3 hours of hands-on cooking. You'll typically learn to make salteñas (Bolivian empanadas), pique macho, or traditional soups. December's comfortable morning temperatures make market walking pleasant rather than sweltering.
Day trips to Inca Trail ruins at Chataquila
The Inca Trail segment near Sucre leads to Chataquila ruins and takes 4-5 hours round trip with moderate difficulty. December's dry trails and morning temperatures of 10-15°C (50-59°F) create ideal hiking conditions. The trail climbs about 400 m (1,312 ft) from the starting point at Puente Sucre, and December visibility means clear views of the valley. Start by 7am to complete the hike before afternoon weather becomes unpredictable.
December Events & Festivals
Feast of the Immaculate Conception
December 8th is one of Sucre's most important religious celebrations, featuring morning Mass at the cathedral followed by afternoon processions through the colonial center. The Plaza 25 de Mayo fills with food vendors selling traditional anticuchos, api morado (purple corn drink), and buñuelos. You'll see folkloric dance groups in traditional dress performing throughout the day. The celebration continues into the evening with fireworks around 9pm. This is genuinely a local event rather than a tourist attraction, so expect crowds of Sucreños rather than international visitors.
Pre-Christmas posadas and nativity displays
From mid-December through Christmas Eve, neighborhoods set up elaborate nativity scenes (pesebres) in churches and private homes, and some open to visitors. The tradition of posadas - reenactments of Mary and Joseph seeking shelter - happens in various neighborhoods, particularly in the evenings of December 16-24. Check with your accommodation about which neighborhoods are hosting public displays, as these change yearly and aren't formally advertised to tourists.