Lots of people are working remotely these days. To take the United States as an example, the U.S. Bureau of Labor estimates that the number of people who work remotely is 18-20% of the total workforce in the states, and I imagine that is similar to other Western countries.
Even as technology and development have decreased the number of nomadic peoples to its lowest level in human history, the number of digital nomads is rising.
In the past, it may have required years of savings to travel for a few months. But the times have changed. Countries worldwide, hoping to boost their economies and increase the presence of skilled workers, have opened their doors to remote workers. Most of these visas were launched in the last couple of years, some as new as 2024.
Many of these nations are home to their own unique blend of mountains and culture. In this article, we target mountain lovers looking to escape to the corners of the Earth, experiencing takes on life in the hills.
Why Apply For a Visa? (Or Why Not…)
Most of PeakVisor’s readers have strong passports that allow them to gain visa-free entry into the vast majority of countries (check out this link to see where you can go). However, some of our readership, like South Africa and India, are more limited.
The idea behind these digital nomad visas is to be able to stay in a country for a while, getting to know its culture and people much more than you would in a casual passing. They usually last for 6 to 12 months. Still, they are mainly temporary in the long term, with a few notable exceptions—check out this article on moving to mountainous countries that offer permanent residency options to remote workers. Digital nomad visas also generally allow you to bring your family along, although you may have to provide additional income for a spouse or child.
Additionally, some countries forbid remote work in their country without a visa. Say a family goes to Japan, and Mom spends a day or two taking work calls and answering emails…apparently, that’s illegal. As is the digital nomad who comes on a three-month tourist visa and works five days a week. Naturally, it’s unclear how and to what extent this is enforced.
While it’s certainly an advantage to have the ability to stay in a country for a year or longer—it’s easier to find long-term, affordable rentals—nomad visas can also come with disadvantages. Maybe you’re not feeling the paperwork. You’ll have to prove you have adequate insurance in each country, although you should always travel with insurance anyway. Perhaps most consequentially, traveling on a digital nomad visa sometimes means paying taxes in that country.
A true nomadic lifestyle is one that is always on the move, never putting down roots or attachments. Some folks may not want to apply for visas. In that case, if you’re from almost any developed country, you’ll be able to spend three months with no questions asked.
PeakVisor’s Top Picks for Digital Nomad Visa-Issuing Countries
…for those who love mountains, of course.
Namibia
The Visa: Namibia now offers a 6-month digital nomad visa for the most ambitious travelers. The application is straightforward and entirely online, following this link to the Namibia Investment Promotion and Development Board. Notably, you’ll need this visa if you also plan on volunteering in the country.
The visa is non-renewable—you’ll have to leave after 6 months, although you can reapply after a year outside the country if you desire to return (which is not out of the question). Otherwise, travelers may consider the regular 90-day tourist visa, which requires no paperwork and is free. Either way, visa or no visa, entering Namibia is the easiest thing you’ll do during your stay.
The Mountains: I spent three months in Namibia in 2012 doing research on a college study abroad semester. Now, 12 years later, few places have had such an effect on my life. The landscape and mountains are truly ethereal. The country’s unique conservation efforts have been successful, and portions like the Damaraland are home to one of the last intact ecosystems on the planet. Here, you can see lions, black rhinos, and elephants outside the confines of a national park. The nation’s people are the kindest I’ve met anywhere.
Namibia is one of the most rugged countries. Much of the country consists of craggy mountains known as the Great Escarpment, created during the supercontinent Gondwana's breakup and slowly but surely molded over time by water and wind. There are a few trails here and there but be prepared to blaze your own way up the mountain.
It’s the driest country I’ve ever been to—the northern coastal regions receive zero measurable precipitation—but it’s also the only place I’ve ever seen a legitimate flash flood. Desert oases full of tropical birds provide a stunning juxtaposition to the endless expanse of dusty peaks.
How to travel around Namibia? As a remote worker, it’s a tricky question. I recommend basing out of Swakopmund, a coastal town with a (relatively) large expat community, where you’ll find basics like lodging and internet. Buy a truck. Drive it around and see the country. Learn about the wildlife. Carry a satellite rescue device. Prepare for self-rescue.
Hopefully, you’ll be in the mood for adventure if you find yourself in Namibia. With an open mind and an eager heart, this country has the potential to change somebody unlike anywhere else on Earth.
And don’t forget, you’re on African time now. Slow down. Don’t be in a rush.
Japan
The Visa: As of 2024, Japan now offers a digital nomad visa, one of the best ways to stay in the country for an extended period. Japan is notoriously strict on immigration (and all rules, for that matter), so these visas are non-renewable. Perhaps the toughest stipulation is proving an annual income of at least 10,000,000 JPY, almost 70,000 USD, even with the favorable exchange rate.
Additionally, the U.S. Embassy in Japan advises against working remotely in the country without a digital nomad visa. As I mentioned, Japan is a rule-based society, and although it seems difficult to imagine getting caught working remotely, PeakVisor recommends following the guidelines.
Follow this link for a story of a tech worker who literally just received his digital nomad visa (October 2024) and gives a detailed breakdown of the process. Apparently, his application was the first one received at the Japanese Embassy in Berlin! However, Japanese travel is immensely popular right now, and I expect this visa to gain considerable attention going forward.
One disadvantage of this visa is the requirement to apply from an embassy in your home country, which may add a layer of difficulty for those already living and traveling abroad.
The Mountains: Japan is most famous for its cities; Tokyo is the world’s largest and, according to many, the world’s best city. However, Japan’s mountains are nearly as iconic. These muscular strato-volcanic peaks and jagged alpine ranges are woven into the nation’s myths and poetry. Even as a Westerner, an image of Mount Fuji, Japan’s tallest peak, has existed in my head for as long as I can remember. Japan has also exploded into the ski world in the past decade or two, as the West discovered its penchant for unbelievably dry, fluffy powder snow.
Japan has a temperate climate with four distinct and elegant seasons. Summer brings verdant greenery across the mountainscape, while autumn offers some of the best foliage on the planet. The tremendous amount of snow defines winter. Cold Siberian air blows across the comparatively warm Sea of Japan, collects moisture, and then rises over the mountains, which causes the moisture to cool and condense into snowfall. Spring is perhaps the most celebrated season of all, judging by hotel prices. This is when the cherry blossoms bloom, framing the country in delicate pink hues.
The downside of Japan lies in its crowds. Japan is densely populated in a way that most Westerners can’t understand until they experience it firsthand. Visiting the mountains most accessible from Tokyo may mean waiting in a queue with hundreds of other people to take a picture from a popular viewpoint. It’s just a different culture.
Nevertheless, it seems there are far more “Japanophiles” than there are “Japanophobes,” so you’ll have to check it out for yourself.
Georgia
The Visa: Although I haven’t sorted through the exact visa options of all 193 countries, it’s clear that Georgia has the single best entry policy for remote workers or anyone wishing to spend extended time in the country. Georgia absolutely wants you to move to their country.
Right now, you can move to Georgia and stay for up to a YEAR, no questions asked. There’s no paperwork involved; that’s just their standard tourist visa. It applies to residents of 98 different countries, not just the usual Western nations. After that, you can apply for a 360-day residence permit by showing an income of at least 2,000 USD per month—and you can do it online without leaving the country. Through this program, Georgia has amassed a sizable and vibrant digital community.
The residence permit can be renewed annually, making Georgia one of the few countries with a path to permanent residency through remote work. Check out this article for information about those countries.
One of the disadvantages for Westerners is that English is not well-known here. Instead, the primary expat language is Russian; many Russian tech workers have come here over the past few years. Since both Russian and Georgian are very difficult to learn, this could be an issue over the long term.
The Mountains: Georgia’s mountains are spectacular. With several 5,000-plus meter peaks, the Caucuses make the Alps look like aspiring foothills. Europe’s highest mountain, Mt. Elbrus (5,642 m / 18,511 ft), is just north of the border in Russia.
There are a handful of ski resorts, but on the whole, lift infrastructure doesn’t compare to Europe or North America. Snow quantity is impressive, though; these resorts probably receive more average snowfall than many parts of the Alps. Backcountry skiing is endless.
Various medieval villages snake up the valleys, though expect heinous roads driving up. Ultimately, with only a handful of ski resorts, mountain infrastructure is limited compared to Western countries. I’m not sure how quick a rescue would be; I imagine there will be some lag time.
New Zealand
The Visa: New Zealand doesn’t have a visa specific to digital nomads. Instead, the best option for remote workers hoping to live in NZ is the Visitor Visa. You can either do a multiple-entry option that allows for six months out of a 12-month period or a single-entry option that allows for nine months out of an 18-month period.
The proof-of-funds requirement is relatively easy for NZ—you must only show 1,000 NZD per month (~590 USD), even if you have no pre-booked accommodation. With accommodation, the requirement is even lower, about 400 NZD.
For mountain lovers 30 years old or under—and, in select countries, up to 35—the working holiday visa is also a great option.
The Mountains: NZ’s landscape was crafted by the hand of a different God than the rest of the world. There’s just some defining “otherness” about the place. It’s one of the most isolated places on Earth, and somehow, it does feel as if you’ve reached the end of the world.
That’s not to say that NZ is truly wild. Most of the landscape has been altered by the hand of man over the last 150 years, with many of the forests and valleys cleared for sheep farming. The mountain infrastructure is among the best of any country on this list. There are 38 ski resorts, dozens of sightseeing gondolas and lifts, and several bike parks. NZ also features a nationally-sponsored network of “Great Walks,” or multi-day backpacking trips that usually feature a network of huts.
With the Southern Alps rivaling the European Alps in ruggedness, New Zealand alpine climbers have often proven they have more mettle than anyone else. It’s no coincidence that the first man to summit Everest was from New Zealand.
Fortunately for us, NZ has a generous—and unique—working holiday and visitor visa that allows people to experience the country for an extended amount of time. Buying a van and spending a year exploring the country is enormously popular.
Argentina/Chile
The Visa: Argentina is now a hot spot for digital nomads, though most of those are in Buenos Aires. According to Golden Harbors, there were 72,000 digital nomads in Buenos Aires in 2023, making for a vibrant and exciting community.
The visa was commissioned in 2022, though nomads have been posting up here on tourist visas since before then. It’s valid for six months and can be renewed for another six months. The income requirement is around 2,500 USD per month. You can apply online, an advantage if you’re already traveling, and you’ll receive a verdict in 10-15 days. Few digital nomad visa programs are as established as Argentina’s.
Just next door to Argentina, Chile also has a non-renewable digital nomad visa, available for 6 months only.
The Mountains: Though most digital nomads head to big cities like Buenos Aries, Argentina and Chile are home to the world’s second tallest range: the Andes. Both countries are over 3,000 km long, and the Andes traverse the entire distance and beyond.
The Andes are both remote and developed. Stretches of Patagonia rarely see human visitors, while some of the developed ski resorts and national parks are among the world’s most popular.
Patagonia is a vast and remote region at the southern end of the South American continent, shared by Chile and Argentina. It’s a land of extremes, encompassing glaciers, fjords, steppes, deserts, and temperate rainforests. On both the Chilean and Argentinian sides, much of this mountainscape is protected by national parks.
Argentina and Chile also host what is indisputably the best skiing in the Southern Hemisphere, with resorts like Cerro Catedral, Las Leñas, and Portillo. Backcountry skiing is established, with numerous mountain huts like the legendary Refugio Frey.
South Africa
The Visa: The southernmost country in Africa is one of the latest countries to offer a digital nomad visa, with the act signed into law on March 29, 2024. According to Nomads Embassy, the income requirement has been reduced to 37,000 USD from a rather lofty 55,000 USD. The visa can be granted for up to a year.
South Africa is a fascinating country, but it’s not known for being straightforward. Getting this visa follows along the same vein. You must apply in person in your country of residence. Processing times could be months. You must prove accommodation in advance. And, if you stay for more than six months, you have to pay income tax to South Africa.
The Mountains: South Africa may have a troublesome history, but it's also one of the finest natural kingdoms out there. I tramped around South Africa after the aforementioned semester in Namibia and loved it far more than I expected. Unfortunately, I lost all the photos from this trip, though I managed to save the Namibia ones, which is more important.
The country is littered with mountains. You’d be hard-pressed to find a flat spot without visible peaks in the distance. The towering Drakensberg Mountains reach 3,482 m (11,424 ft), while the smaller Cape Fold Mountains offer coastal views, wildflowers, and subtropical forests. South Africa is host to a lifetime's worth of hiking trails, as well as rock climbing areas.
It snows from time to time, especially in the Drakensberg, but you won’t find much in the way of ski resorts. The World's Greatest Of All Time (G.O.A.T.) downhill mountain biker, Greg Minaar, hails from Pietermaritzburg. Despite this, the country has a long way to go in developing new trails and building SA into a bike destination. They definitely have the topography for it.
However, South Africa’s mountains—there are 14,561 named peaks by PeakVisor’s count—are just one piece of the puzzle.
Even more notable is the country’s biodiversity. It’s one of 17 “megadiverse” countries in the world, with more vascular plant species than all but six other countries. Besides the U.S. and China, which are biodiverse by sheer size, South Africa is the only country on the list not in the tropics. Much of this diversity stems from Fynbos, the vegetation that defines the Cape Floral Kingdom. Fynbos is home to over 9,000 plant species, 70% of which are endemic.
Spain
The Visa: Like Georgia, Spain is one of the few countries that have a path to permanent residency as a remote worker. Check out this article for more information about those countries.
The Digital Nomad visa is straightforward. Income requirements weigh in at 2,700 euros/month, and residents will pay a flat tax rate of 24% up to 600,000 euros. Residents get health insurance and access to schools. After five years, you have the option to obtain permanent residency.
One aspect of Spain’s digital nomad visa is that you can include your family on the application. Children born in the country will be given citizenship if they stay for at least one year.
The Mountains: Spain is a country of mountains, with a lifetime of adventures. The Pyrenees in the north are the most famous; here, you’ll find big ski resorts and towering peaks, some of which still have small glaciers.
There are several lesser-known ranges with even more mystery. The Sistema Ibérico and Sistema Centrale top out well over 2,000 meters in the country's center. In the south, most people don’t know that the highest peak in mainland Spain is actually Mulhacén (3,479 m / 11,414 ft) in the Sierra Nevada. Here, there’s the massive ski resort only a couple hundred kilometers from Africa. Perhaps best of all is Spain’s highest peak, Pico del Tiede (3,715 m / 12,188 ft), on the Spanish Canary Islands. It’s one of the highest mountains in the world, as measured from the sea floor, where this volcano starts.
Spain has invested a ton of resources into mountain biking, with thousands of trails and “MTB centers” across the country, from north to south and in between. You can ride in the lower ranges all winter but stay high in the summer because it gets hot. Lots of pros train in Spain during the winter.
The road cycling is even more famous, with Girona serving as the epicenter of professional cycling. They say over 200 professional cyclists are based out of Girona. The surrounding countryside is a haven of serene mountain roads and medieval villages, and the city is proximate to many professional races.
If rock climbing is your thing, Spain is among the finest destinations in Europe (and that’s saying something). The country features mainly limestone sport climbing, ranging from simple cragging to huge multi-pitch routes.
If you’re just looking for somewhere to get outside and stretch your legs, the country’s hiking trails are just as developed as everything else.
Costa Rica
The Visa: Costa Rica offers a digital nomad visa for those earning at least 3,000 USD monthly. You can apply online and receive an answer within a couple of weeks. The visa is valid for a year and is renewable for an additional year, provided you still meet the requirements and spend at least 80 days in Costa Rica during your original visa.
Notably, Costa Rica is one of those countries that technically forbids remote workers from working if they are on a tourist visa. Obviously, there’s the question of enforceability, but yes, it’s technically illegal.
The Mountains: Costa Rica is the fourth country on our list that is part of the great “Ring of Fire” mountain chain (the others being Japan, New Zealand, and Chile). It’s also the most petite, even smaller than Georgia. Nevertheless, Costa Rica is home to 28 named mountains, the highest of which, Cerro Chirripó, reaches 3,820 m (12,533 ft). Nearly 27% of the country is protected, and there are 28 national parks.
Costa Rica is one of the most biodiverse countries. It makes the top 20 but is not officially one of the 17 “megadiverse” because it’s exclusively tropical. Hiking and wildlife viewing are sure to be the top mountain pursuits here. Climbing one of the peaks will bring you through several different biomes, traversing through tropical rainforests, cloud forests, and alpine grasslands.
Besides the peaks, you’ve got one of the world’s best surf destinations, delicious fresh food, and one of 24 “full democracies” worldwide, as ranked by the Economist Democracy Index.
Iceland
The Visa: Iceland is perhaps one of the most compelling countries to live on this list, but its visa is difficult. Still, it’s worth mentioning because Iceland has a remarkable landscape unlike anywhere else on Earth. It is a developed country with excellent services for digital nomads.
The Icelandic digital nomad visa is valid for 6 months and is easy to apply for online. However, the monthly income requirement of 1,000,000 ISK is about 7,300 USD, placing prospective applicants firmly in the wealthiest fraction of a percent of the world’s population.
The Mountains: Iceland may not have the tall peaks of continental Europe, but it is undoubtedly the most exotic destination in Europe from a natural standpoint. Large parts of the country are unlike anything else on Earth. The nation’s volcanic activity produces dozens of geysers and multi-colored mineral pools. Its perch in the Arctic Circle means that it doesn’t just have glaciers but icefields stretching as far as the eye can see.
Iceland is a draw for tourists, and many of the best sights are relatively accessible, such as those along the Golden Circle route. Vatnajökull National Park is home to Hvannadalshnúkur (2,110 m / 6,922 ft), Iceland's tallest peak. You can walk right up to the Vatnajökull Glacier (the largest in Europe).
For adventures further afield, most of Iceland is deserted and up for exploration—similar to Namibia. Though you might have a better chance at a rescue here.
The PeakVisor App
No matter where you ultimately end up, there’s no better companion for the mountains than the PeakVisor app.
PeakVisor has been a leader in the augmented reality 3D mapping space for the better part of a decade. We’re the product of nearly a decade of effort from a small software studio smack dab in the middle of the Alps. Our detailed 3D maps are the perfect tool for hiking, biking, alpinism, and ski touring! The PeakVisor app is available for iOS and Android.
- Our 3D engine is superior to any other mobile mapping tool.
- Our maps are detailed with routes, trails, peaks, mountain huts, and parking areas worldwide.
- Our Peak Identification tool is the most accurate on the market.
- We now offer schedules for Ski lifts and mountain huts.
- Point weather forecasts for any location on Earth. Up-to-date snow depth information from mountain weather stations.
- You can easily track activities and view them later on our visually stunning 3D template.
- You can watch Video Flyovers of any route, whether you’ve completed it or not. This can help some users visualize a route before heading out, while others may revel in their glory.
- Our dev team (info@peakvisor.com) will promptly answer any of your questions about the app.
- PeakVisor is a fraction of the price of other mobile mapping and tracking apps, like Strava.
Our best satellite imagery is for the Alps and Pyrenees:
