Iceland Wellness Retreat at Deplar Farm: Geothermal Spa, Yoga & Arctic Adventures

Deplar Farm sits in the Troll Peninsula in northern Iceland, about an hour from Akureyri. The building is a converted 15th-century sheep farm, and the renovation kept the turf-roofed exterior while adding floor-to-ceiling windows that frame the mountains and the valley. There are 13 guest rooms, a 5,000-square-foot spa, a geothermal indoor/outdoor pool, a yoga room, sauna, steam rooms, treatment rooms, and i-sopod flotation tanks. It's the kind of place where you walk out of your room and into the pool without thinking about it.

The wellness programme is the main draw, but it's not a bootcamp. You'll start most days with something like yoga or a functional fitness class, then head out for an adventure — hiking, fat biking, sea kayaking in summer; cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, or just a walk to a viewpoint in winter. Afternoons are for the spa: contrast therapy (hot and cold plunges), Viking sauna rituals, sound healing, gong baths. There's also Yoga Nidra and guided meditation in nature. The idea is that you do as much or as little as you want, but most people end up doing quite a lot because it's all right there.

What makes this different from a standard wellness retreat is the setting and the access. You're in a remote part of Iceland that most tourists never see, and the activities are guided by people who live there. In summer, you get the midnight sun — 24 hours of daylight — so you can hike at 10pm. In winter, you get the Northern Lights and snow-covered landscapes. The spa is genuinely world-class: flotation tanks, a geothermal pool that's warm even when it's snowing, and treatment rooms where you can get a massage after a day outside.

The culinary side is not an afterthought. The kitchen team uses foraged ingredients — mountain moss, wild herbs — and local seafood and lamb. Breakfast might include skyr and house-made granola; dinner could be cod with root vegetables. They also do things like ginger shots and cod liver oil if you want them. Dietary requirements are handled if you tell them in advance.

Instructor background: the wellness team is made up of local and international practitioners — yoga teachers, breathwork facilitators, massage therapists, and adventure guides. The guides are certified in their disciplines (ski touring, kayaking, etc.) and know the Troll Peninsula intimately. The spa therapists are trained in various modalities, from deep tissue to energy work. You won't get a single 'guru' — it's a team effort.

What's included

- Accommodation in guest rooms at Deplar Farm - All meals (breakfast, lunch, dinner) featuring local Icelandic ingredients - Access to the 5,000-square-foot spa, including geothermal indoor/outdoor pool, sauna, steam rooms, and flotation tanks - Daily yoga and functional fitness classes - Guided wellness experiences: sound healing, Viking sauna ritual, breathwork, Yoga Nidra, gong baths - Guided outdoor adventures (hiking, fat biking, sea kayaking in summer; cross-country skiing, snowshoeing in winter) - Use of outdoor gear for guided activities - Transfers to/from Akureyri airport (if arranged in advance)

What's not included

- International flights to Iceland - Domestic flights to Akureyri (unless included in package) - Travel insurance - Alcoholic beverages - Personal spa treatments (massages, facials, etc.) - Optional extra activities like heli-skiing - Gratuities for staff - Personal expenses