Holiday planning
Long Weekends in Mali 2026
Mali has 13 long weekends in 2026. The longest natural break is 4 days around New Year & New Year Holiday (Thu 1 Jan – Sun 4 Jan). Take Wednesday off and turn the New Year & New Year Holiday break into a 5-day run.
13
Long weekends
5
Longest break (days)
13
Bridge day opportunities
All long weekends in Mali 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wed 31 Dec – Sun 4 Jan | New Year, New Year Holiday | 4 | Wednesday(Wed 31 Dec) | 5d |
| Sat 17 Jan – Tue 20 Jan | Army Day | 1 | Monday(Mon 19 Jan) | 4d |
| Thu 19 Mar – Sun 22 Mar | Eid al-Fitr | 3 | Thursday(Thu 19 Mar) | 4d |
| Thu 26 Mar – Sun 29 Mar | Martyrs' Day | 1 | Friday(Fri 27 Mar) | 4d |
| Fri 3 Apr – Mon 6 Apr | Easter Monday | 3 | Friday(Fri 3 Apr) | 4d |
| Thu 30 Apr – Sun 3 May | Workers' Day | 3 | Thursday(Thu 30 Apr) | 4d |
| Fri 22 May – Mon 25 May | Africa Day | 3 | Friday(Fri 22 May) | 4d |
| Wed 27 May – Sun 31 May | Eid al-Adha | 1 | Thursday + Friday(Thu 28 May, Fri 29 May) | 5d |
| Thu 25 Jun – Sun 28 Jun | Ashura Holiday | 3 | Thursday(Thu 25 Jun) | 4d |
| Sat 22 Aug – Wed 26 Aug | The Prophet's Birthday | 1 | Monday + Tuesday(Mon 24 Aug, Tue 25 Aug) | 5d |
| Sat 29 Aug – Tue 1 Sept | Baptism of the Prophet | 1 | Monday(Mon 31 Aug) | 4d |
| Sat 19 Sept – Tue 22 Sept | Independence Day | 1 | Monday(Mon 21 Sept) | 4d |
| Thu 24 Dec – Sun 27 Dec | Christmas Day | 3 | Thursday(Thu 24 Dec) | 4d |
Best long weekends in Mali 2026
The top breaks ranked by total consecutive days off.
January
New Year & New Year Holiday
Wed 31 Dec – Sun 4 Jan
5
days
May
Eid al-Adha
Wed 27 May – Sun 31 May
5
days
August
The Prophet's Birthday
Sat 22 Aug – Wed 26 Aug
5
days
January
Army Day
Sat 17 Jan – Tue 20 Jan
4
days
How to use bridge days in Mali
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 Mali 2026, there are 13 bridge day opportunities highlighted in the table above. The biggest gain is around New Year & New Year Holiday: take Wednesday off to turn a 4-day break into 5 consecutive days using only 1 day of annual leave.
Public holidays linked to long weekends
New Year
Thu 1 Jan
New Year Holiday
Fri 2 Jan
Eid al-Adha
Wed 27 May
The Prophet's Birthday
Wed 26 Aug
Army Day
Tue 20 Jan
Eid al-Fitr
Fri 20 Mar
Martyrs' Day
Thu 26 Mar
Easter Monday
Mon 6 Apr
Workers' Day
Fri 1 May
Africa Day
Mon 25 May
Ashura Holiday
Fri 26 Jun
Baptism of the Prophet
Tue 1 Sept
Independence Day
Tue 22 Sept
Christmas Day
Fri 25 Dec
Continue exploring
More for Mali 2026
Public holidays
Public holidays in Mali 2026
Full list of 14 public holidays with dates and observance notes.
Working days
Working days in Mali 2026
Monthly breakdown of weekdays minus public holidays.
Other year
Long weekends in Mali 2027
Same bridge day analysis for 2027.
Country overview
Mali 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 Mali have in 2026?
Mali has 13 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 Mali in 2026?
The longest break is 5 days from Wednesday, 31 December 2025 to Sunday, 4 January 2026, centred around New Year and New Year Holiday (taking Wednesday as annual leave).
How can I get the most days off with the least leave in Mali 2026?
The best bridge day opportunity is around New Year & New Year Holiday (Thu 1 Jan – Sun 4 Jan). Take Wednesday as annual leave to get a 5-day break using only 1 day of paid leave.
Are bridge days public holidays in Mali?
No. Bridge days are ordinary working days — employees choose to take them as paid annual leave. They are not legally mandated public holidays.