There is a difference between passing through a city and having enough time to belong there. This winter, Nomad Pioneers is creating that opportunity in Cuenca, Ecuador: a three-month season for remote workers, founders, freelancers and creators who want a beautiful, practical base and good people around them.
The season runs from 15 December 2026 to 15 March 2027. You can join for the full three months or choose the first-month option if you arrive by 15 January. Nomad Cloud readers receive 15% off with code NOMADCLOUD.
Cuenca combines the ingredients that make daily life enjoyable: a walkable historic center, cafés and markets, the Tomebamba river, mild highland weather and the Andes within easy reach. The city has depth beyond its landmarks. Staying longer gives you time to find a favorite lunch spot, learn how each neighborhood feels, build local routines and leave the expat circuit behind.
It is also a place where remote work can fit naturally into the day. You can work from your apartment or choose a coworking space, meet others for lunch, take an evening walk by the river and still have the weekend free for a hike, a village visit or a longer trip through Ecuador.
Nomad Pioneers gives the season a social rhythm without taking over your calendar. Regular dinners, coworking sessions, skill swaps, founder conversations, city outings and optional trips make it easy to meet people through shared experiences. You keep your own work schedule and decide which activities suit you.
The value is simple: you do not have to spend your first weeks trying to find your people. The pre-arrival group helps introductions start early. Once in Cuenca, local guidance and recurring events help the group move quickly from names in a chat to people you know around the city.
That matters when you are building a business, working across time zones or arriving on your own. A familiar table at dinner, someone to work beside, or a group heading into the mountains can change how a place feels.
Participants book their own accommodation and workspace. That freedom lets you choose the neighborhood, privacy level and monthly budget that work for you. The ticket covers the community program: event coordination, the pre-arrival group, a practical city guide, local introductions and access to the activity schedule.
Flights, accommodation, coworking, meals, local transport and optional paid activities are separate. You stay in control of the largest costs while gaining the part that is hardest to arrange alone: a reliable community from the start.
The season is designed for independent people who can organize their own stay and enjoy contributing to a group. Expect remote employees, founders, freelancers, engineers, creators and people taking a deliberate career break. Some will come for a month; others will stay for the full season.
The shared thread is curiosity: about Cuenca, about the people around the table and about what becomes possible when remote work supports a fuller life instead of constant movement.
Nomad Pioneers is organized by Matthias Zeitler, founder of Coworking Bansko and Bansko Nomad Fest and a co-founder of Coliving Semkovo. Those projects grew by creating reasons for people to return, contribute and form lasting relationships. Cuenca brings that community experience into an open city setting.
Until next time,
The Nomad Cloud Team ⛅️
