Long Weekends Planner and Holidays Calendar 2026 Out: Check Here
The holiday and long-weekend calendar for 2026 is out, giving Indians an early opportunity to map their vacations for the year ahead. With several festivals aligning with weekends—and a few well-planned leave days—travellers can unlock multiple extended breaks in every quarter of the year.
January 2026: Year Begins with Multiple Breaks
January 1–4: New Year’s Day falls on a Thursday. A leave on Friday turns it into a four-day holiday.
January 14: Makar Sankranti.
January 23–26: Vasant Panchami, the weekend, and Republic Day combine to create another long stretch of holidays.
February 2026: A Quick Mid-Month Pause
February 15: Maha Shivratri provides a single-day break.
February 28: The last day of the month leads straight into the Holi week beginning in early March.
March 2026: Festival-Heavy Month
March 1–4: Holi on March 3 aligns with the preceding weekend, forming a four-day window.
March 20–22: Eid al-Fitr weekend.
March 26–31: Ram Navami on Thursday, followed by one leave on Friday, the weekend, and Mahavir Jayanti on Monday—creating a six-day holiday opportunity.
April 2026: Good Friday Break
April 3–5: Good Friday rolls into the weekend, offering a three-day respite.
May 2026: Early Summer Relief
May 1–3: Buddha Purnima matched with the weekend brings another long weekend.
June 2026: Muharram Makes Space for Mid-Year Travel
June 26–29: Muharram results in a four-day extended break—an ideal time for mid-year getaways.
July 2026: Stretch Around Rath Yatra
July 16–19: Rath Yatra falls on a Thursday; one day of leave on Friday lets travellers enjoy a four-day weekend.
August 2026: Festival Clusters Create Travel Windows
The last week of August is filled with consecutive festivals:
August 25: Milad-un-Nabi
August 26: Onam
August 28: Raksha Bandhan
With just one additional leave day, this period can turn into a long holiday.
September 2026: Back-to-Back Mini Breaks
September 4–6: Janmashtami weekend.
September 12–14: Ganesh Chaturthi falls on a Monday, extending the weekend naturally.
October 2026: Ideal Month for Longer Vacations
October 2–4: Gandhi Jayanti connected to the weekend.
October 17–20: A leave on Monday creates a long break culminating in Dussehra on Tuesday.
November 2026: Guru Nanak Jayanti Window
November 21–24: Apply for leave on Monday to enjoy a four-day weekend ending with Guru Nanak Jayanti on Tuesday.
December 2026: Festive Year-End Break
December 25–27: Christmas forms a three-day weekend—perfect for end-of-year trips.
Travel Benefits of Planning Early
With the full 2026 long-weekend map now available, early planners can secure cheaper fares, avoid peak-season crowds and curate smarter itineraries. Locking in leave days well in advance can help maximise every extended weekend the year has to offer.
