Long weekends in India in 2026: Plan your holidays with friends and family in advance

The trend of heading out of the city to enjoy long weekends for a short break in India has becoming a rage and the 2026 calendar has multiple long weekends for you to make travel plans in advance, thanks to a favourable spread of public holidays, with smart planning and just a handful of days taking off, employees can enjoy extended breaks throughout the year without exhausting annual leave balance.

The year starts on an encouraging note. New Year’s Day falls on a Thursday, meaning that taking a single day off on Friday can turn the opening of 2026 into a four-day break. January becomes even more attractive later in the month, as Republic Day on Monday, 26 January, combines neatly with the preceding weekend, offering another extended pause from work.

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Spring brings further opportunities. Towards the end of March, a Friday holiday aligns with the weekend, while April opens with Good Friday landing on 3 April, creating a natural three-day break. These early long weekends are ideal for short trips before the onset of peak summer.

The summer months also deliver welcome breathing space. Buddha Purnima in early May and Muharram in late June both fall on Fridays, ensuring easy three-day weekends. While July is relatively quiet, August picks up momentum again with Raksha Bandhan creating a well-timed end-of-month break.

September stands out as one of the most rewarding months of the year. Janmashtami on a Friday and Ganesh Chaturthi on a Monday provide back-to-back chances for long weekends, making it possible to plan multiple short holidays within a single month.

The festive season in October is particularly generous. Mahatma Gandhi Jayanti falls on a Friday, while later in the month several regional and cultural holidays cluster around weekends. This creates repeated opportunities for extended breaks during one of the most popular travel periods in India.

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As the year draws to a close, November and December maintain the momentum. Diwali, followed by Govardhan Puja, offers a longer festive pause, and Christmas Day on Friday, 25 December, ensures that 2026 ends with a classic three-day holiday weekend.