Long Weekends in India 2026–27
Every upcoming long weekend for the next 12 months — exact dates, which ones need a single leave day, and crowd-smart escapes for each: destinations in their best season that month with the lowest crowd geometry, so you skip the tourist rush.
Raksha Bandhan
Fri, 28 Aug → Sun, 30 Aug · 3-day break
Crowd-smart escapes (in season, lowest crowds)
Janmashtami
Fri, 4 Sept → Sun, 6 Sept · 3-day break
Crowd-smart escapes (in season, lowest crowds)
Ganesh Chaturthi
Sat, 12 Sept → Mon, 14 Sept · 3-day break
Crowd-smart escapes (in season, lowest crowds)
Gandhi Jayanti
Fri, 2 Oct → Sun, 4 Oct · 3-day break
Crowd-smart escapes (in season, lowest crowds)
Dussehra
Sat, 17 Oct → Tue, 20 Oct · 4-day break1 leave day unlocks it
Crowd-smart escapes (in season, lowest crowds)
Govardhan Puja / Bhai Dooj
Sat, 7 Nov → Mon, 9 Nov · 3-day break
Crowd-smart escapes (in season, lowest crowds)
Guru Nanak Jayanti
Sat, 21 Nov → Tue, 24 Nov · 4-day break1 leave day unlocks it
Crowd-smart escapes (in season, lowest crowds)
Christmas
Fri, 25 Dec → Sun, 27 Dec · 3-day break
Crowd-smart escapes (in season, lowest crowds)
New Year's Day
Fri, 1 Jan → Sun, 3 Jan · 3-day break
Crowd-smart escapes (in season, lowest crowds)
Makar Sankranti / Pongal
Thu, 14 Jan → Sun, 17 Jan · 4-day break1 leave day unlocks it
Crowd-smart escapes (in season, lowest crowds)
Republic Day
Sat, 23 Jan → Tue, 26 Jan · 4-day break1 leave day unlocks it
Crowd-smart escapes (in season, lowest crowds)
Holi
Sat, 20 Mar → Mon, 22 Mar · 3-day break
Crowd-smart escapes (in season, lowest crowds)
Good Friday
Fri, 26 Mar → Sun, 28 Mar · 3-day break
Crowd-smart escapes (in season, lowest crowds)
Plan around the rush
Every destination on Travelmetry has a 12-month crowd calendar showing exactly how these long weekends hit it. Open any destination and check “Monthly Crowds”, or start from the full destination list.
Long Weekend FAQ
How many long weekends are there in India in 2026?
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There are 13 long weekends in the next 12 months (including 4-day breaks that need just one leave day). The list updates as official holiday notifications are released.
Which long weekends need only one day of leave?
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Dussehra (Sat, 17 Oct → Tue, 20 Oct); Guru Nanak Jayanti (Sat, 21 Nov → Tue, 24 Nov); Makar Sankranti / Pongal (Thu, 14 Jan → Sun, 17 Jan); Republic Day (Sat, 23 Jan → Tue, 26 Jan) — each becomes a 4-day break with a single leave day.
Where should I go on a long weekend to avoid crowds?
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Popular hill stations and beaches see their sharpest crowd spikes exactly on long weekends. The destination picks under each date are places that are in their best travel season that month but carry the lowest crowd score in our geometry — offbeat by design.