Ideas built around the time you have

Use the holiday. Take the long way.

Choose a ready-to-shape itinerary or use the calendar below to find a window that works. We can coordinate stays, local transport and experiences, then tailor the pace to your group.

Find a holiday window ↓

Snow-clad Kanchenjunga above the Singalila forest in Darjeeling

Suggested departures · October 2026–November 2027

Journeys to look forward to

Find the best season for you ↗

Each trip shows the route, a day-by-day sketch, the holiday connection and a local food or festival note. These are planning ideas, not confirmed group departures; availability and local schedules are checked when you enquire.

Durga idols displayed during Kolkata Durga Puja

West Bengal · festival window

Kolkata, lit for Puja

See the city’s artful pandals, old neighborhoods and late-evening food stalls, with a slower daytime plan for the crowds.

Places: Kolkata · Kumartuli · riverfront
Dates: 16–21 October 2026 · 6 days
Holiday: West Bengal Puja break

Best for: first-time Puja visitors and culture lovers
Local taste: bhog khichuri, luchi-alur dom and festive sweets

View the trip outline

Arrive and settle in near central Kolkata.
Explore Kumartuli and a small cluster of pandals by day; plan selected night visits with local guidance.
Keep the final day flexible for the city, riverfront or onward travel.

Expect heavy crowds and traffic. Pandal access, event schedules and public transport can change by day.

Ask about this Puja trip →

North Bengal · winter break

Dooars, between forest and river

Base yourself near the forest, leave room for the river, and explore the foothills without changing hotels every night.

Places: Lataguri · Gorumara area · Murti
Dates: 25–28 December 2026 · 4 days
Holiday: Christmas weekend + 1 leave day

Best for: wildlife, easy walks and a winter reset
Local taste: momos, thukpa and seasonal Bengali sweets

View the trip outline

Travel to the Dooars via Bagdogra or New Jalpaiguri.
Take a guided forest-edge outing and a relaxed riverside afternoon.
Keep one morning open for a permitted park visit, subject to gate dates and forest rules.

Forest permits, safari slots and park opening days are not guaranteed; we confirm them before finalising the route.

Ask about this Dooars trip →

Tea rows on a Darjeeling hillside in West Bengal

North Bengal · hill escape

Darjeeling at your own pace

Tea country, heritage streets and mountain views, arranged as a compact hill stay with time to breathe.

Places: Darjeeling · Ghoom · Kurseong
Dates: 23–26 January 2027 · 4 days
Holiday: Republic Day · take Mon 25 Jan off

Best for: a short winter break from Kolkata or elsewhere
Local taste: momos, thukpa and Darjeeling tea

View the trip outline

Arrive via Bagdogra or New Jalpaiguri; allow for the hill transfer.
Spend a day around Darjeeling town, tea gardens and local viewpoints.
Choose a heritage rail ride only after checking the operating timetable.

The Republic Day holiday falls on Tuesday. This four-day window assumes Monday is available as leave; the road transfer can take longer in peak season.

Ask about this Darjeeling trip →

Local boat crossing a river in the Sundarbans, West Bengal

South Bengal · river weekend

Sundarbans, by the waterways

Trade the road for a boat-led landscape, with a locally hosted stay and a relaxed pace between the creeks.

Places: Godkhali · Gosaba · island waterways
Dates: 26–28 March 2027 · 3 days
Holiday: Good Friday weekend

Best for: a short nature break from Kolkata
Local taste: fresh river fish and seasonal local cooking

View the trip outline

Transfer from Kolkata to the embarkation point, then board the arranged boat.
Spend a full day on approved waterways with a local guide.
Return to Kolkata on the final day, allowing a generous transfer buffer.

Wildlife sightings are never guaranteed. Boat routes, permits and park access follow local rules and conditions.

Ask about this Sundarbans trip →

Krang Shuri Falls in Meghalaya, surrounded by forest

Northeast India · leave-stretch

Meghalaya, under the clouds

Waterfalls, living root bridges and highland villages in a spring route with enough days for the drive between stops.

Places: Shillong · Cherrapunji · Mawlynnong
Dates: 20–28 March 2027 · 9 days
Holiday: Holi 23 Mar + Good Friday 26 Mar

Best for: active travellers who can take 2–3 weekdays off
Local taste: jadoh, tungrymbai and seasonal Khasi dishes

View the trip outline

Start and finish in Guwahati, with a private transfer to Shillong.
Stay two nights near Cherrapunji for falls, caves and the living root bridge walk.
Use the remaining days for Shillong and a village stay, weather permitting.

Holi is an optional/restricted holiday for some workplaces and varies by state. The nine-day window assumes leave on 24–25 March, and possibly 23 March where Holi is not a holiday.

Ask about this Meghalaya trip →

Kerala · Onam season

Kerala, for the Onam feast

Pair a backwater stay with Kochi’s heritage lanes and a traditional seasonal feast, if local events are running.

Places: Kochi · Alleppey · Kumarakom
Dates: 9–14 September 2027 · 6 days
Festival: Onam · expected 12 September

Best for: food, backwaters and cultural events
Local taste: Onam sadya served on a banana leaf

View the trip outline

Begin in Kochi with a guided heritage walk and an easy first evening.
Transfer to the backwaters for a hosted stay and boat outing.
Ask us to plan around a local Onam sadya or public celebration once schedules are announced.

Onam is a busy period. Festival events and feast bookings are local and should be reconfirmed closer to travel.

Ask about this Kerala trip →

Rajasthan · Diwali weekend

Jaipur, glowing for Diwali

A three-day city break for forts, bazaars and festive lights, with a central stay and local transport arranged around your plans.

Places: Jaipur · Amber · old city
Dates: 29–31 October 2027 · 3 days
Holiday: Diwali Friday + weekend

Best for: first Rajasthan visit and festive city energy
Local taste: dal baati churma, pyaaz kachori and ghevar

View the trip outline

Arrive Friday and settle in before an evening in the old city.
Spend Saturday around Amber Fort and Jaipur’s craft markets.
Leave Sunday for a relaxed breakfast and onward travel.

Festival lights and market timings vary by neighborhood. Book transport early and expect busy roads around the holiday.

Ask about this Jaipur trip →

Priests performing the evening Ganga Aarti in Varanasi

Uttar Pradesh · Chhath season

Varanasi, along the river

Watch the ghats wake and wind down, with a local guide and a flexible plan for the festival crowds.

Places: Varanasi · river ghats · Sarnath
Dates: 4–7 November 2027 · 4 days
Festival: Chhath · 4 November, local observance

Best for: heritage, river rituals and slow mornings
Local taste: thekua, kachori-sabzi and Banarasi sweets

View the trip outline

Arrive and take an evening orientation walk by the ghats.
Plan an early river visit and a respectful, locally guided Chhath observation.
Keep a half-day for Sarnath before the return journey.

Festival dates and ghat access need local confirmation. This window assumes Friday 5 November can be taken as leave after the Thursday observance.

Ask about this Varanasi trip →

Before you book: These are sample itineraries. We confirm transport, stay options, park or event access, and local festival schedules with you before making a trip plan. We don’t promise wildlife sightings or festival access where local rules apply.

Make a few leave days go further

Holiday calendar · late 2026 & 2027

Browse seasons & food ↗

Use weekends, public holidays and a small number of leave days to make room for a proper trip. The date and leave suggestions below use a Monday–Friday work week. National observances, state holidays and restricted holidays are identified separately because time off varies by employer and state.

Trip window	Holiday to build around	Where to go	Leave to add
17–25 Oct 2026	Durga Puja · West Bengal state holiday period	Kolkata: Kumartuli, pandals, para food and riverfront	Take Mon 19 Oct off to bridge the weekend into the West Bengal state holiday period for a 9-day window
14–16 Nov 2026	Chhath · Sun 15 Nov; local holiday may extend to Mon 16	Patna or Kolkata ghats, with respectful local guidance	Potential 3-day break where Mon 16 is observed locally
21–24 Nov 2026	Guru Nanak Jayanti · Tue 24 Nov	Amritsar for the Golden Temple and langar, or a North Bengal reset	Take Mon 23 Nov off for 4 days
25–28 Dec 2026	Christmas · Fri 25 Dec	Dooars forest edge, or a Kolkata food and heritage weekend	Weekend gives 3 days; take Mon 28 Dec for 4
14–17 Jan 2027	Makar Sankranti / Magha Bihu · Thu 14; Pongal · Fri 15 · regional/restricted	Assam’s Bihu season or Tamil Nadu’s harvest traditions	Take Fri 15 off where Pongal is not already a holiday; check local observance
23–26 Jan 2027	Republic Day · Tue 26 Jan · national	Darjeeling tea country and the heritage rail, or Jaipur’s winter streets	Take Mon 25 Jan off for 4 days
6–14 Mar 2027	Id-ul-Fitr · Wed 10 Mar · moon-sighting date	Plan a relaxed heritage and food break with local hosts	Take Mon–Tue 8–9 and Thu–Fri 11–12 Mar off for 9 days, if the date holds
20–28 Mar 2027	Holi · Tue 23 Mar; Good Friday · Fri 26 Mar	Meghalaya waterfalls and Khasi villages, or a slower Bengal circuit	Take Mon 22, Wed 24 and Thu 25 Mar off for 9 days; Holi varies by state/workplace
14–19 Apr 2027	Vaisakhi / Vishu / Bihu · Wed–Thu 14–15; Mahavir Jayanti · Mon 19 · regional	Assam for Rongali Bihu, Kerala for Vishu, or a spring city break	Take Fri 16 Apr off for 6 days where local holidays apply
15–17 May 2027	Id-ul-Zuha (Bakrid) · Mon 17 May · date subject to moon sighting	Choose a short, easy-to-reach family stay or heritage weekend	Weekend + Monday gives 3 days where observed
21–29 Aug 2027	Janmashtami · Wed 25 Aug · regional/restricted	Jaipur museums and old city, or a relaxed stay near home	Take Mon–Tue 23–24 and Thu–Fri 26–27 Aug for 9 days; avoid monsoon-sensitive routes
6–10 Oct 2027	Durga Puja · 7–9 Oct in the holiday reference; state dates vary	Kolkata’s pandals, Kumartuli craft lanes and festive Bengali food	Use local Puja holidays; add Wed 6 or Mon 11 Oct leave to connect a weekend, depending on your workplace calendar
29–31 Oct 2027	Diwali · Fri 29 Oct	Jaipur: Amber Fort, block-printing workshops and old-city bazaars	3-day weekend; add Thu 28 or Mon 1 Nov to stretch it
4–7 Nov 2027	Chhath · Thu 4 Nov · restricted/state-specific	Patna or Varanasi ghats, planned with local hosts	Take Fri 5 Nov off for 4 days; confirm the local holiday

Weekend dates in the 2027 PFRDA office list: Independence Day and Milad-un-Nabi (Sun 15 Aug), Gandhi Jayanti (Sat 2 Oct), Dussehra (Sat 9 Oct), Guru Nanak Jayanti (Sun 14 Nov) and Christmas (Sat 25 Dec). These do not create a substitute weekday in this planning guide. The 2027 holiday dates above follow the PFRDA’s published 2027 office holiday order as one official planning reference; its restricted-holiday list includes several regional observances. It is not a universal India-wide leave calendar. The 2026 Puja period follows the Government of West Bengal holiday list. Dates tied to moon sightings, state calendars and school schedules should be reconfirmed before booking.

Good seasons for a family trip

School break? Give the kids a story to bring home.

Match the trip to the season and your school’s actual vacation dates. Keep transfers short, build in rest time, and confirm park opening days before travelling.

Winter school break · Dec–Jan

Dooars, for the forest-edge mornings

Base near Gorumara and Murti for a gentle mix of wildlife interpretation, river time and warm local food. For children, a guided nature walk can be as memorable as a safari; park access depends on official schedules and permits.

See the Dooars idea ↗

Darjeeling tea bushes following the contours of a hillside

Summer school break · Apr–May

Darjeeling, for a cool-air escape

Trade the plains’ pre-monsoon heat for tea country, a ride on the Darjeeling Himalayan Railway and a bakery stop in town. The cooler weather suits family walks; take the hill roads slowly and allow time to acclimatise.See the Darjeeling idea ↗

Prefer your own dates?

We can build around your calendar.

Plan a custom trip →

Tell us how many days you have, where you’re starting from and what you want to experience. We’ll help connect the right route, stays, transfers and local guides.