Year 2026 Long Weekend Guide: Full Festival & Holiday Calendar for Smart Travel Planning

The year 2026 is just around the corner, and travel enthusiasts are already gearing up to plan their vacations in advance. Early booking is the smartest way to enjoy holidays without stretching your budget, especially since flights and hotel prices tend to rise closer to peak travel dates. To help you organise your travel calendar better, here is a complete list of long weekends and festival holidays in 2026, allowing you to plan both short and long trips smoothly.

This year is packed with opportunities to utilise your leaves wisely. With just one extra day off in many weeks, you can enjoy long breaks perfect for domestic and even international travel. Below is a month-wise breakdown of all long weekends you can take advantage of.

The first month of the year offers two major long breaks:

• 1 to 4 January – New Year celebrations fall on Thursday. Taking leave on Friday can give you a 4-day weekend.


• 23 to 26 January –
  23 January – Vasant Panchami
  24–25 January – Weekend
  26 January – Republic Day
  Ideal for a winter getaway.


• 14 January – Makar Sankranti, a single festival break during mid-month.

• 15 February – Maha Shivratri


• 28 February connects to March holidays, creating scope for a longer festive break.

March offers the maximum long weekend opportunities:

• 1–3 March – Holi Weekend with Holi on 3 March, creating a 4-day break.


• 20–22 March – Eid Weekend


• 26–31 March – Super Long Break
  
  
  
  • 26 March – Ram Navami
  
  
  • 27 March – optional leave
  
  
  • 28–29 March – Weekend
  
  
  • 30 March – optional leave
  
  
  • 31 March – Mahavir Jayanti
  
  

This adds up to 6 consecutive holiday days, perfect for long-distance travel or international trips.

• 3–5 April – Good Friday Weekend


• 1–3 May – Buddha Purnima


• 26–29 June – Muharram Weekend


• 16–19 July – Ratha Yatra, possible 4-day break with one leave


• 25–30 August – Festival Cluster
  
  
  
  • 25 August – Milad-un-Nabi
  
  
  • 26 August – Onam
  
  
  • 27 August – optional leave
  
  
  • 28 August – Raksha Bandhan
  
  
  • 29–30 August – Weekend
  
  

A golden 6-day holiday opportunity for monsoon travellers.

• 4–6 September – Janmashtami Weekend


• 12–14 September – Ganesh Chaturthi


• 2–4 October – Gandhi Jayanti Weekend


• 17–20 October – Dussehra Break (take one leave)


• 21–24 November – Guru Nanak Jayanti


• 25–27 December – Christmas Weekend, perfect for winter vacations

With so many extended weekends throughout the year, 2026 is an excellent year for travellers. Planning ahead will help you:

• Save on flights and hotel bookings


• Distribute annual leaves smartly


• Explore more destinations without disrupting work schedules


• Secure deals before festive price hiking

If you plan strategically, you can enjoy multiple vacations without overspending.

📍 Use this calendar to pre-plan your 2026 travel schedule and enjoy more holidays with less stress and lower costs.
Book early, travel smart, and make 2026 a memorable year full of adventures.