Supplemental Financial Information - Supplemental Results of Operations (Detail) - USD ($) $ in Millions	3 Months Ended								12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2015	Sep. 30, 2015	Jun. 30, 2015	Mar. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014	Sep. 30, 2014	Jun. 30, 2014	Mar. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013
Revenues
Fund management fees									$ 1,085.2	$ 1,166.3	$ 984.6
Performance fees
Realized									1,441.9	1,328.7	1,176.7
Unrealized									(617.0)	345.7	1,198.6
Total performance fees									824.9	1,674.4	2,375.3
Investment income (loss)
Realized									32.9	23.7	14.4
Unrealized									(17.7)	(30.9)	4.4
Total									15.2	(7.2)	18.8
Interest and other income									18.6	20.6	11.9
Interest and other income of Consolidated Funds									975.5	956.0	1,043.1
Revenue of a consolidated real estate VIE									86.8	70.2	7.5
Total revenues	$ 715.8	$ 297.5	$ 856.1	$ 1,136.8	$ 839.1	$ 755.0	$ 1,138.8	$ 1,147.4	3,006.2	3,880.3	4,441.2
Compensation and benefits
Base compensation									632.2	789.0	738.0
Equity-based compensation									378.0	344.0	322.4
Performance fee related
Realized									650.5	590.7	539.2
Unrealized									(139.6)	282.2	644.5
Total compensation and benefits									1,521.1	2,005.9	2,244.1
General, administrative and other expenses									712.8	526.8	496.4
Interest									58.0	55.7	45.5
Interest and other expenses of Consolidated Funds									1,039.3	1,042.0	890.6
Interest and other expenses of a consolidated real estate VIE									144.6	175.3	33.8
Other non-operating income									(7.4)	(30.3)	(16.5)
Total expenses	802.5	795.3	843.6	1,027.0	928.7	705.1	1,042.6	1,099.0	3,468.4	3,775.4	3,693.9
Other income (loss)
Net investment gains of Consolidated Funds	(71.4)	(31.3)	461.6	505.5	(107.5)	125.5	445.0	424.0	864.4	887.0	696.7
Income (loss) before provision for income taxes	(158.1)	(529.1)	474.1	615.3	(197.1)	175.4	541.2	472.4	402.2	991.9	1,444.0
Provision for income taxes									2.1	76.8	96.2
Net income (loss)	(147.8)	(525.0)	468.1	604.8	(210.0)	181.3	487.4	456.4	400.1	915.1	1,347.8
Net income attributable to non-controlling interests in consolidated entities									537.9	485.5	676.0
Net income (loss) attributable to Carlyle Holdings									(137.8)	429.6	671.8
Net income (loss) attributable to non-controlling interests in Carlyle Holdings									(119.4)	343.8	567.7
Net income attributable to The Carlyle Group L.P.	$ (4.6)	$ (83.9)	$ 30.6	$ 39.5	$ 16.3	$ 25.4	$ 19.5	$ 24.6	(18.4)	85.8	104.1
Consolidated Operating Entities
Revenues
Fund management fees									1,239.1	1,352.9	1,168.2
Performance fees
Realized									1,460.3	1,355.1	1,247.0
Unrealized									(602.0)	355.0	1,201.5
Total performance fees									858.3	1,710.1	2,448.5
Investment income (loss)
Realized									(35.4)	29.4	15.0
Unrealized									23.3	(37.7)	(61.4)
Total									(12.1)	(8.3)	(46.4)
Interest and other income									22.9	23.6	13.1
Interest and other income of Consolidated Funds									0.0	0.0	0.0
Revenue of a consolidated real estate VIE									86.8	70.2	7.5
Total revenues									2,195.0	3,148.5	3,590.9
Compensation and benefits
Base compensation									632.2	789.0	738.0
Equity-based compensation									378.0	344.0	322.4
Performance fee related
Realized									650.5	590.7	539.2
Unrealized									(139.6)	282.2	644.5
Total compensation and benefits									1,521.1	2,005.9	2,244.1
General, administrative and other expenses									712.8	523.9	492.9
Interest									58.0	55.7	45.5
Interest and other expenses of Consolidated Funds									0.0	0.0	0.0
Interest and other expenses of a consolidated real estate VIE									144.6	175.3	33.8
Other non-operating income									(7.4)	(30.3)	(16.5)
Total expenses									2,429.1	2,730.5	2,799.8
Other income (loss)
Net investment gains of Consolidated Funds									0.0	0.0	0.0
Income (loss) before provision for income taxes									(234.1)	418.0	791.1
Provision for income taxes									2.1	76.8	96.2
Net income (loss)									(236.2)	341.2	694.9
Net income attributable to non-controlling interests in consolidated entities									(98.4)	(88.4)	23.1
Net income (loss) attributable to Carlyle Holdings									(137.8)	429.6	671.8
Net income (loss) attributable to non-controlling interests in Carlyle Holdings									(119.4)	343.8	567.7
Net income attributable to The Carlyle Group L.P.									(18.4)	85.8	104.1
Consolidated Funds
Revenues
Fund management fees									0.0	0.0	0.0
Performance fees
Realized									0.0	0.0	0.0
Unrealized									0.0	0.0	0.0
Total performance fees									0.0	0.0	0.0
Investment income (loss)
Realized									0.0	0.0	0.0
Unrealized									0.0	0.0	0.0
Total									0.0	0.0	0.0
Interest and other income									0.0	0.0	0.0
Interest and other income of Consolidated Funds									975.5	956.0	1,043.1
Revenue of a consolidated real estate VIE									0.0	0.0	0.0
Total revenues									975.5	956.0	1,043.1
Compensation and benefits
Base compensation									0.0	0.0	0.0
Equity-based compensation									0.0	0.0	0.0
Performance fee related
Realized									0.0	0.0	0.0
Unrealized									0.0	0.0	0.0
Total compensation and benefits									0.0	0.0	0.0
General, administrative and other expenses									0.0	0.0	0.0
Interest									0.0	0.0	0.0
Interest and other expenses of Consolidated Funds									1,258.8	1,286.5	1,169.4
Interest and other expenses of a consolidated real estate VIE									0.0	0.0	0.0
Other non-operating income									0.0	0.0	0.0
Total expenses									1,258.8	1,286.5	1,169.4
Other income (loss)
Net investment gains of Consolidated Funds									886.9	898.4	701.3
Income (loss) before provision for income taxes									603.6	567.9	575.0
Provision for income taxes									0.0	0.0	0.0
Net income (loss)									603.6	567.9	575.0
Net income attributable to non-controlling interests in consolidated entities									0.0	0.0	0.0
Net income (loss) attributable to Carlyle Holdings									603.6	567.9	575.0
Net income (loss) attributable to non-controlling interests in Carlyle Holdings									0.0	0.0	0.0
Net income attributable to The Carlyle Group L.P.									603.6	567.9	575.0
Eliminations
Revenues
Fund management fees									(153.9)	(186.6)	(183.6)
Performance fees
Realized									(18.4)	(26.4)	(70.3)
Unrealized									(15.0)	(9.3)	(2.9)
Total performance fees									(33.4)	(35.7)	(73.2)
Investment income (loss)
Realized									68.3	(5.7)	(0.6)
Unrealized									(41.0)	6.8	65.8
Total									27.3	1.1	65.2
Interest and other income									(4.3)	(3.0)	(1.2)
Interest and other income of Consolidated Funds									0.0	0.0	0.0
Revenue of a consolidated real estate VIE									0.0	0.0	0.0
Total revenues									(164.3)	(224.2)	(192.8)
Compensation and benefits
Base compensation									0.0	0.0	0.0
Equity-based compensation									0.0	0.0	0.0
Performance fee related
Realized									0.0	0.0	0.0
Unrealized									0.0	0.0	0.0
Total compensation and benefits									0.0	0.0	0.0
General, administrative and other expenses									0.0	2.9	3.5
Interest									0.0	0.0	0.0
Interest and other expenses of Consolidated Funds									(219.5)	(244.5)	(278.8)
Interest and other expenses of a consolidated real estate VIE									0.0	0.0	0.0
Other non-operating income									0.0	0.0	0.0
Total expenses									(219.5)	(241.6)	(275.3)
Other income (loss)
Net investment gains of Consolidated Funds									(22.5)	(11.4)	(4.6)
Income (loss) before provision for income taxes									32.7	6.0	77.9
Provision for income taxes									0.0	0.0	0.0
Net income (loss)									32.7	6.0	77.9
Net income attributable to non-controlling interests in consolidated entities									636.3	573.9	652.9
Net income (loss) attributable to Carlyle Holdings									(603.6)	(567.9)	(575.0)
Net income (loss) attributable to non-controlling interests in Carlyle Holdings									0.0	0.0	0.0
Net income attributable to The Carlyle Group L.P.									$ (603.6)	$ (567.9)	$ (575.0)