India’s 2026 Holidays & Long Weekend Calendar Out: Plan Your Travel Early and Smarter

January 2026: A Promising Start

January 1–4: New Year’s Day falls on a Thursday; taking Friday off converts it into a four-day weekend.

January 14: Makar Sankranti.

January 23–26: Vasant Panchami combines with the weekend and Republic Day to create another extended break.

February 2026: Short Mid-Month Pause

February 15: Maha Shivratri brings a mid-month holiday.

February 28: Flows directly into the Holi week that begins in early March.

March 2026: Back-to-Back Festivals

The month begins with Holi on March 3, creating a four-day block when combined with the last weekend of February.

March 20–22: Eid al-Fitr weekend.

March 26–31: A sizable travel window emerges with Ram Navami on Thursday. Taking Friday off, followed by the weekend and Mahavir Jayanti on Monday, creates a six-day break.

April 2026: Good Friday Weekend

April 3–5: Good Friday leads straight into the weekend, offering a three-day holiday.

May 2026: Early-May Getaway

May 1–3: Buddha Purnima coinciding with the weekend provides another long weekend.

June 2026: Extended Muharram Break

June 26–29: Muharram results in a four-day weekend, ideal for mid-year travel.

July 2026: Rath Yatra Stretch

July 16–19: Rath Yatra falls on a Thursday. Taking leave on Friday merges it with the weekend for a four-day break.

August 2026: A Cluster of Festivals

A festive-heavy week from August 25–30 includes:

August 25: Milad-un-Nabi

August 26: Onam

August 28: Raksha Bandhan
One additional leave day can transform this into a long vacation period.

September 2026: Two Short Breaks

September 4–6: Janmashtami weekend.

September 12–14: The weekend rolling into Ganesh Chaturthi on Monday.

October 2026: Perfect for Longer Trips

October 2–4: Gandhi Jayanti linked with the weekend.

October 17–20: An extended break created with the weekend, one optional leave on Monday, and Dussehra.

November 2026: Guru Nanak Jayanti Window

November 21–24: With a Monday leave, this weekend ends with Guru Nanak Jayanti on Tuesday, forming a four-day break.

December 2026: Ending the Year with Christmas Travel

December 25–27: Christmas naturally forms a three-day weekend, perfect for year-end vacations.

Plan Early, Travel Smarter

With the 2026 long-weekend lineup already doing the rounds, early planners have an advantage. Mapping out leave days ahead of time allows travellers to grab discounted tickets, avoid festival rush, and make the most of extended breaks throughout the year.