Holiday planning
Long Weekends in Afghanistan 2026
Afghanistan has 10 long weekends in 2026. The longest natural break is 6 days around Day of Arafat & Eid al-Qurban & Eid al-Qurban Holiday (Tue 26 May – Sun 31 May). Take Monday off and turn the Day of Arafat & Eid al-Qurban & Eid al-Qurban Holiday break into a 9-day run.
10
Long weekends
9
Longest break (days)
10
Bridge day opportunities
All long weekends in Afghanistan 2026
Sorted by calendar date. "Days off" = the natural break without any annual leave. "Bridge days" = working days to take as paid leave to extend the break.
| Date range | Holiday | Days off | Bridge days to take | Total break |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sat 14 Feb – Wed 18 Feb | First Day of Ramadan | 1 | Monday + Tuesday(Mon 16 Feb, Tue 17 Feb) | 5d |
| Thu 19 Mar – Sun 22 Mar | Eid al-Fitr, Eid al-Fitr Holiday | 3 | Thursday(Thu 19 Mar) | 4d |
| Sat 25 Apr – Tue 28 Apr | Afghan Victory Day | 1 | Monday(Mon 27 Apr) | 4d |
| Wed 29 Apr – Sun 3 May | Labor Day | 3 | Wednesday + Thursday(Wed 29 Apr, Thu 30 Apr) | 5d |
| Sat 23 May – Sun 31 May | Day of Arafat, Eid al-Qurban, Eid al-Qurban Holiday | 6 | Monday(Mon 25 May) | 9d |
| Thu 25 Jun – Sun 28 Jun | Ashura | 3 | Thursday(Thu 25 Jun) | 4d |
| Sat 15 Aug – Wed 19 Aug | Independence Day (National Day) | 1 | Monday + Tuesday(Mon 17 Aug, Tue 18 Aug) | 5d |
| Sat 22 Aug – Wed 26 Aug | The Prophet's Birthday | 1 | Monday + Tuesday(Mon 24 Aug, Tue 25 Aug) | 5d |
| Thu 27 Aug – Mon 31 Aug | Anniversary of the Withdrawal of Foreign Troops | 3 | Thursday + Friday(Thu 27 Aug, Fri 28 Aug) | 5d |
| Sat 5 Sept – Wed 9 Sept | Martyrs and Ahmad Shah Masoud Day | 1 | Monday + Tuesday(Mon 7 Sept, Tue 8 Sept) | 5d |
Best long weekends in Afghanistan 2026
The top breaks ranked by total consecutive days off.
May
Day of Arafat & Eid al-Qurban & Eid al-Qurban Holiday
Sat 23 May – Sun 31 May
9
days
February
First Day of Ramadan
Sat 14 Feb – Wed 18 Feb
5
days
May
Labor Day
Wed 29 Apr – Sun 3 May
5
days
August
Independence Day (National Day)
Sat 15 Aug – Wed 19 Aug
5
days
How to use bridge days in Afghanistan
A bridge day (sometimes called a sandwiched day) is a working day that sits between a public holiday and a weekend. By taking it as paid annual leave, you connect the holiday to the weekend and create a longer uninterrupted break.
For example, if a public holiday falls on a Thursday, taking Friday off gives you Thursday + Friday + Saturday + Sunday — four consecutive days using only one day of leave.
In Afghanistan 2026, there are 10 bridge day opportunities highlighted in the table above. The biggest gain is around Day of Arafat & Eid al-Qurban & Eid al-Qurban Holiday: take Monday off to turn a 6-day break into 9 consecutive days using only 1 day of annual leave.
Public holidays linked to long weekends
Day of Arafat
Tue 26 May
Eid al-Qurban
Wed 27 May
Eid al-Qurban Holiday
Thu 28 May
First Day of Ramadan
Wed 18 Feb
Labor Day
Fri 1 May
Independence Day (National Day)
Wed 19 Aug
The Prophet's Birthday
Wed 26 Aug
Anniversary of the Withdrawal of Foreign Troops
Mon 31 Aug
Martyrs and Ahmad Shah Masoud Day
Wed 9 Sept
Eid al-Fitr
Fri 20 Mar
Eid al-Fitr Holiday
Sat 21 Mar
Afghan Victory Day
Tue 28 Apr
Ashura
Fri 26 Jun
Continue exploring
More for Afghanistan 2026
Public holidays
Public holidays in Afghanistan 2026
Full list of 16 public holidays with dates and observance notes.
Working days
Working days in Afghanistan 2026
Monthly breakdown of weekdays minus public holidays.
Other year
Long weekends in Afghanistan 2027
Same bridge day analysis for 2027.
Country overview
Afghanistan holidays overview
All years at a glance — upcoming public holidays.
Calculator
Working Days Between Two Dates
Net working days for any date range — public holidays excluded, 192 countries.
Frequently asked questions
How many long weekends does Afghanistan have in 2026?
Afghanistan has 10 long weekends in 2026 where a public holiday creates a break of three or more consecutive days.
What is a bridge day?
A bridge day is a regular working day that falls between a public holiday and a weekend. Taking it as annual leave creates an uninterrupted break of four or more days using just one or two days of paid leave — maximising your time off.
What is the longest long weekend in Afghanistan in 2026?
The longest break is 9 days from Saturday, 23 May 2026 to Sunday, 31 May 2026, centred around Day of Arafat and Eid al-Qurban and Eid al-Qurban Holiday (taking Monday as annual leave).
How can I get the most days off with the least leave in Afghanistan 2026?
The best bridge day opportunity is around Day of Arafat & Eid al-Qurban & Eid al-Qurban Holiday (Tue 26 May – Sun 31 May). Take Monday as annual leave to get a 9-day break using only 1 day of paid leave.
Are bridge days public holidays in Afghanistan?
No. Bridge days are ordinary working days — employees choose to take them as paid annual leave. They are not legally mandated public holidays.