Segment Reporting - Additional Financial Data for Apollo's Reportable Segments (Detail) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2013	Jun. 30, 2012	Jun. 30, 2013	Jun. 30, 2012
Revenues:
Advisory and transaction fees from affiliates	$ 65,085	$ 69,777	$ 112,504	$ 97,013
Management fees from affiliates	155,070	143,326	305,517	270,504
Carried interest income (loss) from affiliates:
Total Revenues	497,261	211,628	1,806,334	988,371
Compensation and benefits	240,027	236,886	782,329	699,882
Other Income	2,778	1,945,549	4,076	1,951,365
Non-Controlling Interests	(89,433)	(1,875,863)	(640,520)	(2,208,961)
Economic Net Income (Loss)
Total Reportable Segments [Member]
Revenues:
Advisory and transaction fees from affiliates	65,084	70,026	112,503	97,262
Management fees from affiliates	169,277	156,397	333,504	286,430
Carried interest income (loss) from affiliates:
Total Revenues	509,984	238,839	1,847,350	1,029,689
Other Income	19,001	(16,170)	59,615	42,892
Non-Controlling Interests	(3,254)	(2,438)	(6,718)	(3,847)
Economic Net Income (Loss)	241,397	42,035	1,033,875	504,022
Total Reportable Segments [Member] | Private Equity Segment [Member]
Revenues:
Advisory and transaction fees from affiliates	41,663	61,491	66,280	84,672
Management fees from affiliates	65,684	69,158	131,956	136,155
Carried interest income (loss) from affiliates:
Unrealized gains (losses)	(509,667)	(37,693)	187,947	288,279
Realized gains	738,257	43,378	1,031,636	165,448
Total Revenues	335,937	136,334	1,417,819	674,554
Compensation and benefits	145,423	59,055	570,464	301,898
Other expenses	26,773	23,876	48,740	44,667
Total Expenses	172,196	82,931	619,204	346,565
Other Income	13,042	(1,357)	37,225	32,520
Non-Controlling Interests
Economic Net Income (Loss)	176,783	52,046	835,840	360,509
Total Reportable Segments [Member] | Private Equity Segment [Member] | Management [Member]
Revenues:
Advisory and transaction fees from affiliates		61,491
Management fees from affiliates		69,158
Carried interest income (loss) from affiliates:
Unrealized gains (losses)
Realized gains
Total Revenues		130,649
Compensation and benefits		45,197
Other expenses		23,876
Total Expenses		69,073
Other Income		(3,202)
Non-Controlling Interests
Economic Net Income (Loss)		58,374
Total Reportable Segments [Member] | Private Equity Segment [Member] | Incentive [Member]
Revenues:
Advisory and transaction fees from affiliates
Management fees from affiliates
Carried interest income (loss) from affiliates:
Unrealized gains (losses)		(37,693)
Realized gains		43,378
Total Revenues		5,685
Compensation and benefits		13,858
Other expenses
Total Expenses		13,858
Other Income		1,845
Non-Controlling Interests
Economic Net Income (Loss)		(6,328)
Total Reportable Segments [Member] | Private Equity Segment [Member] | Reportable Subsegments [Member] | Management [Member]
Revenues:
Advisory and transaction fees from affiliates	41,663		66,280	84,672
Management fees from affiliates	65,684		131,956	136,155
Carried interest income (loss) from affiliates:
Unrealized gains (losses)
Realized gains
Total Revenues	107,347		198,236	220,827
Compensation and benefits	38,077		78,861	83,757
Other expenses	26,773		48,740	44,667
Total Expenses	64,850		127,601	128,424
Other Income	872		2,504	69
Non-Controlling Interests
Economic Net Income (Loss)	43,369		73,139	92,472
Total Reportable Segments [Member] | Private Equity Segment [Member] | Reportable Subsegments [Member] | Incentive [Member]
Revenues:
Advisory and transaction fees from affiliates
Management fees from affiliates
Carried interest income (loss) from affiliates:
Unrealized gains (losses)	(509,667)		187,947	288,279
Realized gains	738,257		1,031,636	165,448
Total Revenues	228,590		1,219,583	453,727
Compensation and benefits	107,346		491,603	218,141
Other expenses
Total Expenses	107,346		491,603	218,141
Other Income	12,170		34,721	32,451
Non-Controlling Interests
Economic Net Income (Loss)	133,414		762,701	268,037
Total Reportable Segments [Member] | Credit Segment [Member]
Revenues:
Advisory and transaction fees from affiliates	22,148	7,943	43,825	11,998
Management fees from affiliates	90,387	74,351	174,751	127,022
Carried interest income (loss) from affiliates:
Unrealized gains (losses)	(58,843)	(16,677)	14,404	131,577
Realized gains	112,157	19,159	172,685	54,767
Total Revenues	165,849	84,776	405,665	325,364
Compensation and benefits	62,770	39,315	142,171	118,386
Other expenses	38,253	39,245	76,576	65,162
Total Expenses	101,023	78,560	218,747	183,548
Other Income	4,885	(14,537)	20,302	9,592
Non-Controlling Interests	(3,254)	(2,438)	(6,718)	(3,847)
Economic Net Income (Loss)	66,457	(10,759)	200,502	147,561
Total Reportable Segments [Member] | Credit Segment [Member] | Management [Member]
Revenues:
Advisory and transaction fees from affiliates		7,943
Management fees from affiliates		74,351
Carried interest income (loss) from affiliates:
Unrealized gains (losses)
Realized gains		9,200
Total Revenues		91,494
Compensation and benefits		35,488
Other expenses		39,245
Total Expenses		74,733
Other Income		(663)
Non-Controlling Interests		(2,438)
Economic Net Income (Loss)		13,660
Total Reportable Segments [Member] | Credit Segment [Member] | Incentive [Member]
Revenues:
Advisory and transaction fees from affiliates
Management fees from affiliates
Carried interest income (loss) from affiliates:
Unrealized gains (losses)		(16,677)
Realized gains		9,959
Total Revenues		(6,718)
Compensation and benefits		3,827
Other expenses
Total Expenses		3,827
Other Income		(13,874)
Non-Controlling Interests
Economic Net Income (Loss)		(24,419)
Total Reportable Segments [Member] | Credit Segment [Member] | Reportable Subsegments [Member] | Management [Member]
Revenues:
Advisory and transaction fees from affiliates	22,148		43,825	11,998
Management fees from affiliates	90,387		174,751	127,022
Carried interest income (loss) from affiliates:
Unrealized gains (losses)
Realized gains	10,029		19,080	18,800
Total Revenues	122,564		237,656	157,820
Compensation and benefits	38,992		79,830	71,241
Other expenses	38,253		76,576	65,162
Total Expenses	77,245		156,406	136,403
Other Income	4,072		8,527	2,282
Non-Controlling Interests	(3,254)		(6,718)	(3,847)
Economic Net Income (Loss)	46,137		83,059	19,852
Total Reportable Segments [Member] | Credit Segment [Member] | Reportable Subsegments [Member] | Incentive [Member]
Revenues:
Advisory and transaction fees from affiliates
Management fees from affiliates
Carried interest income (loss) from affiliates:
Unrealized gains (losses)	(58,843)		14,404	131,577
Realized gains	102,128		153,605	35,967
Total Revenues	43,285		168,009	167,544
Compensation and benefits	23,778		62,341	47,145
Other expenses
Total Expenses	23,778		62,341	47,145
Other Income	813		11,775	7,310
Non-Controlling Interests
Economic Net Income (Loss)	20,320		117,443	127,709
Total Reportable Segments [Member] | Real Estate [Member]
Revenues:
Advisory and transaction fees from affiliates	1,273	592	2,398	592
Management fees from affiliates	13,206	12,888	26,797	23,253
Carried interest income (loss) from affiliates:
Unrealized gains (losses)	(6,439)	1,647	(5,841)	1,647
Realized gains	158	2,602	512	4,279
Total Revenues	8,198	17,729	23,866	29,771
Compensation and benefits	5,085	10,515	15,015	21,664
Other expenses	6,030	6,190	13,406	12,935
Total Expenses	11,115	16,705	28,421	34,599
Other Income	1,074	(276)	2,088	780
Economic Net Income (Loss)	(1,843)	748	(2,467)	(4,048)
Total Reportable Segments [Member] | Real Estate [Member] | Reportable Subsegments [Member] | Management [Member]
Revenues:
Advisory and transaction fees from affiliates	1,273	592	2,398	592
Management fees from affiliates	13,206	12,888	26,797	23,253
Carried interest income (loss) from affiliates:
Unrealized gains (losses)
Realized gains
Total Revenues	14,479	13,480	29,195	23,845
Compensation and benefits	8,965	8,376	18,095	18,067
Other expenses	6,030	6,190	13,406	12,935
Total Expenses	14,995	14,566	31,501	31,002
Other Income	255	(516)	1,393	361
Economic Net Income (Loss)	(261)	(1,602)	(913)	(6,796)
Total Reportable Segments [Member] | Real Estate [Member] | Reportable Subsegments [Member] | Incentive [Member]
Revenues:
Advisory and transaction fees from affiliates
Management fees from affiliates
Carried interest income (loss) from affiliates:
Unrealized gains (losses)	(6,439)	1,647	(5,841)	1,647
Realized gains	158	2,602	512	4,279
Total Revenues	(6,281)	4,249	(5,329)	5,926
Compensation and benefits	(3,880)	2,139	(3,080)	3,597
Other expenses
Total Expenses	(3,880)	2,139	(3,080)	3,597
Other Income	819	240	695	419
Economic Net Income (Loss)	$ (1,582)	$ 2,350	$ (1,554)	$ 2,748