Short answer: India’s 2027 central government holiday list (DoPT, 16 July 2026) gives you about ten long weekends. The best for travel: Republic Day 23–26 January (one day of leave), a 9-day Holi–Good Friday break 20–28 March, Ram Navami–Mahavir Jayanti 15–19 April, a 9-day Bakrid–Buddha Purnima break in May, Dussehra 8–10 October and Diwali 29–31 October.
Quick answer: long weekends 2027 at a glance
- No leave needed: Diwali Fri 29–Sun 31 Oct; New Year Fri 1–Sun 3 Jan and Christmas Eve–Christmas Fri 24–Sun 26 Dec if your office gives the restricted holiday.
- One day of leave: Republic Day (take Mon 25 Jan), Ram Navami–Mahavir Jayanti (take Fri 16 Apr), Raksha Bandhan (take Mon 16 Aug).
- Biggest breaks: 20–28 March and 15–23 May, nine days each for three days of leave.
- Lost to weekends: Independence Day (Sun), Gandhi Jayanti (Sat), Guru Nanak Jayanti (Sun), Christmas (Sat).
Want one of these long weekends planned and priced? Tell us the weekend, your city and how many of you are travelling. We are an HP Tourism registered travel agent based in Himachal and reply with a day-by-day plan and a written quote.
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We plan holidays around these dates every year, and the pattern repeats: the long weekends that need one day of leave fill up first, because everyone sees the same calendar. This guide uses the official list, the Department of Personnel and Training’s Office Memorandum F.No.12/2/2023-JCA dated 16 July 2026, which fixes the holidays for central government offices in Delhi and New Delhi. We checked every weekday against the 2027 calendar on 12 November 2026.
What are the long weekends in 2027?
Here is every useful break in 2027, what makes it, how much leave it needs and where it works best from North India. “Gazetted” means a compulsory central government holiday; “restricted” means an optional holiday (central employees may pick two of 32), which many private offices also give for New Year and Christmas Eve.
| Long weekend 2027 | Holidays that make it | Leave needed | Where to go |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1–3 Jan (Fri–Sun) | New Year’s Day, Fri 1 Jan (restricted) | 0 if your office gives 1 Jan; else 1 | Shimla, Kufri, Manali for snow chances; Rishikesh for mild sun |
| 14–17 Jan (Thu–Sun) | Makar Sankranti Thu 14 + Pongal Fri 15 (both restricted) | 1–2 | Manali/Solang, Narkanda, Gulmarg; Rajasthan in peak weather |
| 23–26 Jan (Sat–Tue) | Republic Day, Tue 26 Jan (gazetted) | 1 (Mon 25 Jan) | Snow week in Himachal and Kashmir; possible overlap with Manali Winter Carnival |
| 20–28 Mar (Sat–Sun, 9 days) | Holika Dahan Mon 22 (restricted), Holi Tue 23, Good Friday 26 Mar (gazetted) | 3 (Mon 22, Wed 24, Thu 25) or 2 if you use Holika Dahan as a restricted holiday | Manali in March, Dharamshala, Rishikesh, Amritsar, end of Rajasthan season |
| 15–19 Apr (Thu–Mon) | Ram Navami Thu 15 + Mahavir Jayanti Mon 19 (gazetted) | 1 (Fri 16 Apr) | McLeod Ganj and Dharamshala, Dalhousie–Khajjiar, Shimla, Kashmir spring |
| 15–23 May (Sat–Sun, 9 days) | Id-ul-Zuha Mon 17 + Buddha Purnima Thu 20 (gazetted) | 3 (Tue 18, Wed 19, Fri 21) | Manali once Rohtang reopens, Kinnaur and lower Spiti, Kashmir, Shimla |
| 14–17 Aug (Sat–Tue) | Independence Day Sun 15 (lost) + Raksha Bandhan Tue 17 (restricted) | 1 (Mon 16) | Monsoon: Ladakh or Spiti rain-shadow trips; avoid long hill drives in Himachal |
| 8–10 Oct (Fri–Sun) | Mahanavami Fri 8 (restricted) + Dussehra Sat 9 (gazetted) | 0–1 | Kullu Dussehra, Manali, Spiti before it shuts, Shimla |
| 29–31 Oct (Fri–Sun) | Diwali Fri 29 (gazetted); Govardhan Puja Sat, Bhai Dooj Sun | 0 | Shimla, Manali, Amritsar, Rajasthan’s cool-season start |
| 24–26 Dec (Fri–Sun) | Christmas Eve Fri 24 (restricted) + Christmas Sat 25 (gazetted) | 0–1 | Shimla Christmas, Manali, Kasauli; book early — peak rates |
Dates of Id-ul-Fitr, Id-ul-Zuha, Muharram and Milad-un-Nabi depend on the moon and may move by a day. State government and private company calendars differ from this list.
Which 2027 holidays fall on a weekend?
Five gazetted dates are “lost” in 2027 because they fall on a Saturday or Sunday: Independence Day and Milad-un-Nabi together on Sunday 15 August, Gandhi Jayanti on Saturday 2 October, Dussehra on Saturday 9 October, Guru Nanak Jayanti on Sunday 14 November and Christmas on Saturday 25 December. Central offices do not give a substitute day off when a gazetted holiday falls on a weekly off. Dussehra and Christmas still work as three-day weekends if you take the Friday restricted holiday (Mahanavami on 8 October, Christmas Eve on 24 December).
January 2027: New Year, Makar Sankranti and Republic Day
January is the snow month, and it has three chances to travel. New Year’s Day is a Friday, so 1–3 January is a ready-made break if your office gives it. Makar Sankranti (Thursday 14) and Pongal (Friday 15) can stretch the next weekend to four days in states that observe them.
The strongest is Republic Day, Tuesday 26 January. Take Monday 25 off and you have Saturday 23 to Tuesday 26. In the past two seasons the Manali Winter Carnival ran 20–24 January, so it may overlap again; the 2027 dates are not yet announced (see our Manali Winter Carnival guide). Snow is never guaranteed: Shimla went without any snow in some recent Decembers, and the first snow of 2026 came only on 23 January after a long dry spell. Our Manali snowfall guide explains where snow is most reliable (Solang and the Atal Tunnel side).
A 4-day Republic Day plan from Delhi: Friday night Volvo or car to Manali; Saturday Hadimba temple and Old Manali; Sunday Solang and, if the road is open, Sissu through the Atal Tunnel; Monday Kullu and drive down; home by Tuesday night. The Shimla Manali 6D/5N package from Delhi starts from ₹14,499 per person (price on the package page on 12 November 2026); for a 4-day trip we trim it to Manali only.
March 2027: the Holi and Good Friday 9-day break
This is the year’s best value for leave. Holika Dahan is Monday 22 March (restricted), Holi is Tuesday 23 March and Good Friday is Friday 26 March (both gazetted), with Easter on Sunday 28. Take Wednesday 24 and Thursday 25 off, plus Monday 22 if you don’t get it, and you have Saturday 20 to Sunday 28 March.
Nine days is enough for a full Himachal loop: Shimla, Manali, Dharamshala and Dalhousie. Late March is the tail of winter in Manali, with snow still lying around Solang and the Atal Tunnel road (our Manali in March guide has what is realistic), while Dharamshala and Shimla are mild. If Holi itself is the point, spend 22–23 March in Rishikesh or Amritsar, then go up into the hills when the crowds thin.
April 2027: Ram Navami and Mahavir Jayanti
Ram Navami falls on Thursday 15 April and Mahavir Jayanti on Monday 19 April, both gazetted. One day of leave on Friday 16 gives you five days, 15–19 April. Mid-April is one of the most comfortable times in the lower Himalaya: rhododendrons around Dharamshala and Dalhousie, clear days in Shimla, and none of the June rush. Our Dharamshala tour packages fit this break well: McLeod Ganj, the Triund trek, Dalhousie and Khajjiar.
May 2027: Bakrid and Buddha Purnima
Id-ul-Zuha (Bakrid) is Monday 17 May and Buddha Purnima is Thursday 20 May. Take Tuesday 18, Wednesday 19 and Friday 21 off and you get Saturday 15 to Sunday 23 May, nine days, just as school holidays start in North India. Rohtang usually reopens around May, so this is when the Manali side opens up fully. It is also peak season: Shimla and Manali hotels fill, so book early and expect higher rates than in April. Bakrid depends on the moon and may move a day.
August to October 2027: monsoon, Dussehra and Diwali
Independence Day is a Sunday, but Raksha Bandhan is Tuesday 17 August (restricted), so 14–17 August works with Monday off. It is monsoon in Himachal, though: landslides close roads in Kullu, Mandi and Kinnaur most Augusts. Use this break for Ladakh, or keep to short, safe drives.
Dussehra is Saturday 9 October, with Mahanavami on Friday 8 (restricted). Kullu Dussehra traditionally begins on Vijayadashami and runs for seven days, so it should open on 9 October 2027; confirm when Kullu district announces the dates. Early October is also the last good window for Spiti before the high passes start to close.
Diwali is Friday 29 October, followed by Govardhan Puja on Saturday and Bhai Dooj on Sunday: a three-day weekend without leave. Late October is dry and clear in Shimla and Manali, and the cold season is just beginning in Rajasthan.
December 2027: Christmas weekend
Christmas is a Saturday, so most people get only Friday 24 (Christmas Eve, restricted) extra. That still makes 24–26 December a three-day weekend, and it is the busiest weekend of the year in Shimla, Manali and Kasauli. Shimla’s Christ Church and the winter carnival on the Ridge make it special (read our Christmas in Shimla guide), but our Himachal peak rates apply from 20 December to 5 January.
How should you plan around the 2027 long weekends?
- Book the one-leave weekends first. Republic Day, Holi–Good Friday and the May break sell out in Shimla, Manali and Kasauli 6–10 weeks ahead.
- Travel on Friday night. Overnight Volvo buses or a cab leaving Delhi after work save a full day on a 3–4 day trip.
- Expect traffic at the bottlenecks. The Kalka–Shimla highway, the Manali–Kothi stretch and Solang back up on long weekends; start early and keep one buffer day in winter.
- Use the quieter breaks. Mid-April and Dussehra give the same mountains with fewer people and better hotel rates.
- Check your own list. If your state or company list differs, the March and May breaks may shift; our team plans around the dates you actually have.
If you’d rather not drive, we arrange Delhi to Shimla taxis and Manali cabs with drivers who know the winter roads, and for tour operators sending groups on these dates our Himachal DMC services handle ground arrangements.
Frequently asked questions
How many long weekends are there in 2027?
Counting only the central government’s gazetted holidays for Delhi, 2027 gives you six natural or one-leave long weekends: Republic Day (23–26 Jan), Holi and Good Friday in March, Ram Navami–Mahavir Jayanti in April, Bakrid–Buddha Purnima in May, Dussehra in October and Diwali (29–31 Oct). Add restricted holidays like New Year’s Day and Christmas Eve and you get about ten.
Which holidays fall on a weekend in 2027?
Five gazetted dates fall on a Saturday or Sunday in 2027: Independence Day and Milad-un-Nabi on Sunday 15 August, Gandhi Jayanti on Saturday 2 October, Dussehra on Saturday 9 October, Guru Nanak Jayanti on Sunday 14 November and Christmas on Saturday 25 December. Dussehra and Christmas still give long weekends if you add the Friday restricted holiday.
What is the best long weekend in 2027 for a hill trip?
For snow, Republic Day (Saturday 23 to Tuesday 26 January) is the strongest: it is in the coldest weeks, Manali, Solang, Narkanda and Gulmarg usually have snow by then, and you need only Monday 25 January off. For pleasant weather without snow, take 15–19 April in Dharamshala or Dalhousie with one day of leave.
Is Republic Day 2027 a long weekend?
Yes, with one day of leave. Republic Day falls on Tuesday 26 January 2027, so taking Monday 25 January off gives you four days, Saturday 23 to Tuesday 26 January. From Delhi or Chandigarh that is enough for Shimla–Kufri–Narkanda, or Manali with Solang if you leave on Friday night by Volvo or car.
Are the 2027 Eid dates final?
No. Id-ul-Fitr (10 March), Id-ul-Zuha (17 May), Muharram (16 June) and Milad-un-Nabi (15 August) depend on the moon. If the moon is sighted a day earlier or later, the government notifies a changed date, so keep one day of flexibility in any booking that relies on them.
Do these holidays apply to private companies and other states?
Not automatically. The dates here are the central government list for offices in Delhi and New Delhi. States notify their own lists, banks follow RBI’s state-wise list, and private companies set their own calendars. Check your own company or state holiday list before you book non-refundable travel.
When should I book for the 2027 long weekends?
For New Year, Republic Day, Holi–Good Friday, the May break and Christmas, book hotels and cabs 6–10 weeks ahead; these weekends sell out in Shimla, Manali and Kasauli first. Our Himachal peak-rate period runs 20 December to 5 January. Quieter weekends like mid-April and Dussehra can usually be booked 3–4 weeks out.
Want one of these long weekends planned and priced? Tell us the weekend, your city and how many of you are travelling. We are an HP Tourism registered travel agent based in Himachal and reply with a day-by-day plan and a written quote.
Get a free quote · WhatsApp +91 70874 88961 · Call +91 70874 88961
Source: Department of Personnel and Training, Office Memorandum F.No.12/2/2023-JCA dated 16 July 2026 (holidays for central government offices in Delhi/New Delhi, 2027), as published on 18 July 2026; weekdays checked 12 November 2026. Suzu Travels is an HP Tourism registered travel agent (Reg. No. DTO-MND-11-243/2022).
