When I first heard about the Digital Nomad movement I was like "Whaaat...?". That was not too long ago and the internet age enables more and more people to leave their office jobs and work from remote locations. This kind of lifestyle is not exactly a huge vacation though. Experienced nomads will tell you that discipline is essential to enjoy travelling while working, and that therefore they prefer to avoid tourist travellers and rather blend in with locals or gather with other nomads. The following is a chronological list of the most interesting Digital Nomad events of 2017. It starts in March with Africa...
March
Mar 1-15
Refuga - Kilimanjaro
— organized by Refuga.
After a successful trip to Kilimanjaro in 2014, Refuga is now returning to the amazing country of Tanzania and the highest mountain in Africa. A small, exclusive group of ambitious adventurers embarks together on this incredible expedition and a once in a lifetime experience.
Standing on the top of a mountain like Kilimanjaro expands your horizon and is a journey in personal development. Doing this with other entrepreneurs from around the world sparks interesting conversations and adds to the overall experience.
Before conquering Kilimanjaro the trip will kick off with a safari and a visit to a Maasai village.
15 people | $ 3,900/person
April
Apr 1-2
Freedom Summit
— Organized by Freedom Summit.
A weekend-long virtual gathering of entrepreneurs and digital nomads. The first of its kind all-virtual event perfectly matches the idea behind the location-independent lifestyle.
The 2-day event is supposed to be a platform where inspiring change-makers and leaders teach new emerging formulas on how to travel, work and live a fulfilling life around the world.
The core event is free, but there are backstage tickets available for 129,- to get a more immersive experience.
May
May 1-Oct 31
Wanderboss - Brisbane, Chiang Mai, Kyoto
— Organized by Wanderboss.
Wanderboss is a 6 month work and travel program designed for remote workers, digital nomads, entrepeneurs and startups.
If you don't have a remote job yet, they can help you set up your life as a digital nomad.
This signature program takes a small group to three countries over six months (two month each) and includes a myriad of things such as all travel between destinations, accommodation, coworking spaces, remote work opportunities, local support, health and travel insurance, excursions and more. It is also flexible, allowing you to join only part of the trip. The destinations are Australia, Thailand and Japan, what an epic mix!
May 11-25
Nomad Cruise IV - Colombia to Portugal
— Organized by Nomad Cruise.
Nomad Cruise is one of the most famous Digital Nomad events with a large number of participants. Join in when over 150 nomads team up to cross the Atlantic from Colombia to Portugal.
Connect, collaborate and create on a fifteen-day cruise that will change your life. Meet like-minded people, broaden your horizon every day, learn during talks and workshops, and engage in thought-provoking conversations. Experience the power of our incredible community as you meet former cruisers and start writing your own stories as you become part of this legendary experience. This is already the fourth incarnation of this epic voyage.
All-inclusive tickets start at 675,-/person + about 150,- on-board service charge. A 15-day cruise doesn't get much cheaper, even without such an amazing entourage.
May 18-Jun 2
Refuga - Everest Base Camp
— Organized by Refuga.
After Kilimanjaro in March Refuga takes you to the Himalayas to take on the tallest of all mountains - the Everest. Only a little bit though, 5364m to the Base Camp. Just enough to get a glimpse at what it is like to take on this infamous giant. The trip will let you explore the culture and the mountains of Nepal, its capital Kahmandu and the local DN scene. You'll be accompanied by a small group of 15 adventurers for just a sleak $2,900 bucks.
June
Jun 28-Jul 06
Refuga - North Korea
— Organized by Refuga.
This will certainly not gonna be your average coworking trip. You'll take the overnight train from Beijing to North Korea's captial Pyongyang, experiene the "worlds most dangerous border" and meet the entrepreneurs in one of the world's most isolated nations.
This journey aims to take you as close as possible to the "real life" in North Korea, visiting local businesses and drinking locally brewed beer. You'll be travelling in a group of 15 for 3,200,-/person.
July
Jul 1-7
Tuscany Workstation: Live the Good Life
— Organized by Coworkation.
A taste of “LA DOLCE VITA”!
Sun-drenched landscapes, wine fields as far as the eye reaches, amazing Italian food, simplicity, the rich history and culture and of course the friendly people. It’s safe to say that the beautiful region of Tuscany is synonymous with living the good life. What better place to gather inspiration from than the birthplace of the Italian Renaissance?
This Coworkation will be based in the idyllic village of Santa Fiora, known for its many churches and medieval palazzos, located in the province of Grosseto. Between one or the other more adventure-rich trips introduced in this post this is definitely the one to relax, recharge batteries and get things done.
Earlybird rate: 490,- (until end of Feb.)
Standard rate: 690,-
August
Aug 6-12
Refuga - Investor Trip to India
— Organized by Refuga.
Explore Bangalore India, the 2nd Fastest Growing Startup Ecosystem in the world. Meet up with local investors and promising startups together with other like-minded investors from all over the world. Forget about Silicon Valley for a moment, and join this adventure to a place where everything is possible.
7 days / 20 people / 3,300,-
September
Sep 7-10
DNX Lisbon
— Organized by DNX Global.
DNX is a MUST for all nomads. This is the #1 networking event for location-independent online entrepreneurs & freelancers. Four days full of program, 10 top keynote speakers, workshops, masterminds and 500 motivated people. Inspiring and motivating talks, actionable take-aways and business know-how, unique DNX vibe, lot's of networking. Plus, it goes down in Lisbon, a vibrant city by itself and currently one of the hottest spots for freedom seekers.
Tickets start at 197,- and they accept Bitcoin!
Sep 13-15
Nomad Train
— Organized by Nomad Train.
This one is my favorite on the list! The famous Trans-Siberian Railway celebrates its one hundredth birthday. What better timing to team up with some fellow nomads to explore the breathtaking landscapes from Europe to Asia by train. The trip will take you through vast parts of Russia and Mongolia and get you in touch with local communities at each stop. The unique way of travelling brings its very own vibe with it, a mix between native russians, all sorts of tourists, backpackers, nomads and people that just don't know where that journey will take them.
Don't miss THAT train!
There are two options available for how you want to travel, it's all yours to choose.
PLATSKART for 890,-/person and Kupe for 990,-/person.
Sep 25-Oct 8
Nomad Cruise V - Spain to Panama
— Organized by Nomad Cruise.
Digital Nomads are just like migratory birds. Over the year they travel across the continents and across the oceans, always following the sun and the vibe. Many of them spend the winter in Middle/South America and come back to Europe when summer breaks. But as soon as the season fades they'll be off again. You'll meet about 150 of them on this cruise, heading towards Panama.
Just like the Nomad Cruise IV this is a two week voyage, starting at 700,-/person all inclusive. A plane ticket is about the same price, so it just depends on your mindset what mode of travel you prefer.
October
Oct 3-9
7in7 - Digital Nomad Conference
— Organized by 7in7.
7in7 is the 2nd large DN conference in the year. It is special in a way because there will be 7 conferences each on a different continent, even Antarctica in 2022! After Bangkok in 2016 (Asia) this year's conference will take place in Europe, more specifically in the amazing city of Barcelona. While there are many great cities in Europe and one could argue about which one would best represent the continent from a nomad's perspective there can only be little doubt that Barcelona is reasonable contender.
Tickets are a bit pricey though and start at $429 USD for early birds. Never the less, you can expect many incredible speakers, an amazing venue and a beautiful city.
Oct 9-15
Bali Coworkation
— Organized by Coworkation.
I want to end the list with an original. A 7-day gear-shifting co-working retreat in stunning Bali. Super-charge the way you work and live by joining this curated, unique programme. Explore amazing locations, participate in workshops and meet inspiring people that will encourage your personal and professional growth. All while having an absolute blast on this magical island! Digital Nomadism certainly has some of its roots in Indonesia and not without reason.
A spot in the lot will offset you by $100 USD/night with a minimum stay of 2 nights.
That's it for now, I hope you enjoyed reading.. If I missed any interesting event please post it in the comments so that I can add it to.
Hope to meet you at one or another gathering, happy travelling!