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Festival calendar
Some of the most colourful days in India happen at festival time. Plan your trip around one and we’ll take care of the rest.
- Jan
- Feb
- Mar
- Apr
- May
- Jun
- Jul
- Aug
- Sep
- Oct
- Nov
- Dec
Festival dates follow the moon and change every year. Each card shows the 2027 dates, and we’ll confirm them when you enquire.
See where to go each month →
March, on the full moon
Holi, the festival of colours
📍 Mathura, Vrindavan and Jaipur
2027 dates Holika Dahan bonfires on Sunday 21 March, and the day of colours on Monday 22 March.
The festival of colours marks the end of winter. People throw coloured powder and water, share sweets and dance in the streets. In Mathura and Vrindavan, where Lord Krishna grew up, the celebrations last about a week.
Good to know. Wear old white clothes, rub oil into your hair and skin first, and keep your phone in a waterproof pouch.
See our Golden Triangle trip
August or September
Onam and the snake boat races
📍 Alleppey and all of Kerala
2027 dates Thiruvonam, the main day of Onam, is on Sunday 12 September. The Nehru Trophy Boat Race is usually on the second Saturday of August, which would be Saturday 14 August.
Kerala’s harvest festival welcomes the legendary King Mahabali home. Families make flower carpets called pookalam and share the Onam Sadya, a feast of more than twenty dishes served on a banana leaf. Around the same time, snake boats with over a hundred rowers each race on the backwaters near Alleppey.
Good to know. The Nehru Trophy Boat Race on Punnamada Lake is usually held in August. It is monsoon season, so expect some rain and very green landscapes.
See our Kerala trip
October or November, ending on the Kartik full moon
Pushkar Camel Fair
📍 Pushkar, Rajasthan
2027 dates The Kartik full moon is on Sunday 14 November, and the fair builds up over the days before it. The official programme comes out closer to the time.
Thousands of camels, horses and cattle gather on the sand dunes outside Pushkar. Expect camel races, folk music and dance, the famous moustache competition and, on the full moon, a holy dip in Pushkar Lake.
Good to know. The liveliest days are just before the full moon. Camps and hotels fill up early, so book a few months ahead. Our Royal Rajasthan trip already stops in Pushkar.
See our Royal Rajasthan trip
Want to see a festival that isn’t listed here? Tell us, and we’ll plan around it.
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India tours
- Golden Triangle: Delhi, Agra and Jaipur: India’s classic first trip: Mughal monuments, old bazaars and Rajasthani palaces. (6 days, Personalised Journey)
- Kerala: Hills, Backwaters and Beaches: Tea estates in Munnar, wildlife at Periyar and a night on a houseboat. (7 days, Personalised Journey)
- Royal Rajasthan: Forts, Dunes and Lakes: Pink Jaipur, blue Jodhpur, a night in the desert and the lakes of Udaipur. (8 days, Personalised Journey)
- Ladakh: High Passes and Blue Lakes: Monasteries, Nubra’s sand dunes and a night beside Pangong Lake. (8 days, Personalised Journey)
- Goa: Beaches, Old Churches and Spice Farms: Beach days in the north, heritage in Old Goa and quiet sands in the south. (5 days, Personalised Journey)
- Himachal: Pine Valleys and Snow Peaks: Colonial Shimla, the Beas valley and snowy Solang, all by road. (7 days, Personalised Journey)
- Uttarakhand: Haridwar, Rishikesh and Mussoorie: Evening prayers on the Ganga, riverside Rishikesh and a cool hill station. (5 days, Personalised Journey)
- Kashmir: Srinagar, Gulmarg and Pahalgam: A houseboat on Dal Lake, the meadows of Gulmarg and the valleys of Pahalgam. (6 days, Personalised Journey)
- Andaman: Port Blair, Havelock and Neil Island: Clear water, coral beaches and island-hopping by ferry. (6 days, Personalised Journey)
- Meghalaya: Shillong, Cherrapunji and Dawki: Waterfalls, living root bridges and a boat ride on a crystal-clear river. (5 days, Personalised Journey)
- Buddhist Circuit: Varanasi, Bodh Gaya and Kushinagar: Follow the Buddha’s path from the first sermon at Sarnath to Kushinagar. (7 days, Personalised Journey)
- Sikkim: Gangtok, Lachung and Pelling: Monasteries, flower valleys and mountain views in the eastern Himalayas. (7 days, Personalised Journey)
Holidays abroad
- Nepal: Kathmandu and Pokhara: Temples and stupas in Kathmandu, then lakes and Himalayan views in Pokhara. (6 days, from ₹32,000 per person)
- Bhutan: Thimphu, Punakha and Paro: Mountain monasteries, hilltop dzongs and the hike to Tiger’s Nest. (6 days, from ₹46,000 per person)
- Maldives: Island Escape: Four nights by the water with snorkelling, sandbank picnics and sunsets. (5 days, from ₹58,000 per person)
- Thailand: Bangkok and Phuket: Bangkok’s temples and markets, then the beaches and islands of Phuket. (7 days, from ₹44,000 per person)
- Dubai: City, Desert and Abu Dhabi: Skyscrapers, a desert safari and a day at the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque. (5 days, from ₹49,000 per person)
- Bali: Beaches, Temples and Rice Terraces: Ubud’s rice fields and temples, then sunsets on the southern coast. (6 days, from ₹39,000 per person)
- Singapore: City, Sentosa and Gardens: Skyline views, Gardens by the Bay and a day on Sentosa Island. (4 days, from ₹47,000 per person)
- Vietnam: Hanoi, Ha Long Bay and Hoi An: Old Quarter streets, an overnight cruise and lantern-lit Hoi An. (7 days, from ₹54,000 per person)
- Japan: Tokyo, Mt Fuji, Kyoto, Osaka and Hiroshima: Tokyo, Mt Fuji and Hakone, Kyoto and Nara, Osaka and a day in Hiroshima, with pure vegetarian meals throughout. (10 days, from ₹3,40,000 per person)
- Japan for Beginners: Tokyo, Mount Fuji, Kanazawa, Kyoto and Osaka: A first trip to Japan in 7 days: Tokyo, a day at Mount Fuji, old Kanazawa, Kyoto’s torii gates and a day in Osaka. (7 days, from ₹2,50,000 per person)
- Sri Lanka: Sigiriya, Kandy and the South Coast: An ancient rock fortress, tea country by train and the old fort town of Galle. (8 days, from ₹52,000 per person)
Destinations
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Zen Vibe Holidays
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