Troll Peninsula, Iceland | Eleven Deplar Farm
Deep in the Wilds of the Troll Peninsula
There are places where the hotel is the destination, and others where the property exists primarily to unlock its surroundings. Eleven Deplar Farm manages to be both.
Set deep within the Fljót Valley on northern Iceland’s mountainous Troll Peninsula, this former sheep farm has been transformed into one of the country’s most extraordinary adventure lodges. Mountains rise sharply on nearly every side, rivers trace their way through the valley, and the North Atlantic is never far away. There are no neighboring resorts, shopping streets, or conventional sightseeing circuits competing for attention. The landscape dictates the experience.
Part of Eleven, a collection known for pairing remote locations with privately guided adventure, Deplar Farm approaches Iceland differently from the traditional Ring Road itinerary. Rather than moving between attractions each day, travelers settle into a single base and explore outward – heli-skiing across the peninsula, fly-fishing remote rivers, riding Icelandic horses, hiking beneath the midnight sun, snowmobiling through winter valleys, or watching for the Northern Lights from a geothermally heated pool.
With just 13 en-suite bedrooms and capacity for up to 32 travelers, the lodge remains remarkably intimate. Its scale makes it particularly compelling for families and groups taking over the property privately, while individual-room stays are offered during select periods.
For travelers who already know Iceland’s south coast, Golden Circle, and better-traveled regions, Deplar Farm reveals an entirely different side of the country.
A Farm at the Edge of Northern Iceland
Deplar Farm occupies a remote corner of the Troll Peninsula, or Tröllaskagi, one of Iceland’s most mountainous regions. The peninsula extends into northern Iceland between Skagafjörður and Eyjafjörður, its terrain defined by deep valleys, steep peaks, fjords, rivers, and small communities historically connected to fishing and agriculture.
Long before travelers arrived here for heli-skiing and wilderness experiences, Deplar was a working sheep farm.
Eleven transformed the site into its Icelandic adventure base, with the lodge opening in 2016. Rather than erasing the agricultural identity of the property, the transformation deliberately references it. The building maintains the low profile of an Icelandic farmstead, while a living turf roof recalls one of the country's oldest architectural traditions.
Today, that understated exterior conceals approximately 28,000 square feet of indoor space, including the guest rooms, extensive communal areas, spa, gym, media room, bar and lounge, and indoor/outdoor geothermal pool.
Its international reputation has grown considerably since opening. Deplar Farm has been named to Condé Nast Traveler's Gold List in both 2019 and 2023 and has appeared in the publication's Readers' Choice Awards.
Yet the lodge remains deliberately removed from Iceland's more familiar tourism circuit. That isolation is fundamental to its appeal.
Icelandic Tradition Through a Contemporary Lens
From a distance, Deplar Farm almost disappears into the Fljót Valley.
Dark timber cladding references the utilitarian character of Icelandic farm buildings, while the long grass-covered roof visually connects the structure with the surrounding fields. Instead of attempting to compete with the landscape, the architecture recedes into it.
Inside, the atmosphere becomes considerably warmer.
The interiors were conceived around Scandinavian comfort and the concept of hygge, pairing contemporary furniture with natural materials, richly textured fabrics, Icelandic art, and details drawn directly from the surrounding environment. Driftwood from the nearby coast and stones from the Fljótá River help connect the interiors with northern Iceland rather than creating a generic mountain-lodge aesthetic.
Floor-to-ceiling windows are among the property's defining architectural features. Mountains dominate the view from communal spaces, while changing weather becomes almost theatrical – blue skies can give way to fog, snow, rain, or dramatic Arctic light within remarkably short periods.
The central gathering areas are designed more like an exceptionally comfortable private home than a conventional hotel lobby. Fireplaces, deep seating, books, games, and a substantial bar encourage travelers to remain together after returning from the day's adventures.
This balance is one of Deplar Farm's greatest strengths. The property feels sophisticated without becoming precious – an important distinction in a destination where travelers may return from a day outdoors wet, muddy, windswept, or still dressed in ski gear.
Thirteen Rooms Designed Around the Landscape
Deplar Farm has 13 en-suite bedrooms, with configurations ranging from intimate rooms for couples to larger suites and loft arrangements particularly useful for families. Several categories include additional sleeping spaces, allowing the lodge to accommodate up to 32 travelers when configured accordingly.
Rather than numbering the rooms, each carries an Icelandic name.
Grettir: The property's largest suite at approximately 95 square meters, featuring a king bed, steam shower, bathtub and private sauna, along with a lofted lounge with additional sleeping space, fireplace, and access to a private balcony.
Flóki: Approximately 42 square meters with a king bed, lofted ceilings, en-suite bathroom with steam shower, television, and minibar.
Frigg, Auður, Freyja and Skaði – Gallery Suites: Four approximately 48-square-meter suites with king beds, steam showers, ladder-accessed sleeping lofts, hammocks, and access to a shared balcony. The additional loft sleeping areas make these particularly useful for families, although the ladder configuration should be considered when traveling with younger children or anyone with mobility limitations.
Snorri and Guðrún – Mirror Suites: Two approximately 26-square-meter king rooms positioned on the main floor, with southern views and en-suite bathrooms featuring steam showers.
Gunnar and Gísli – Spa Suites: Two approximately 34-square-meter king rooms on the lower level, offering southern views, steam showers, and direct access to an outdoor balcony.
Óðinn: An approximately 23-square-meter room with a queen bed, steam shower, and northern outlook from the second floor.
Bunk Room: Designed for groups or families, with four double beds and a large en-suite bathroom.
Because room layouts differ considerably, choosing a category should be based on more than size alone. Couples may prefer privacy and outlook, while multigenerational families should consider sleeping arrangements, stairs, loft access, and proximity to communal spaces.
For larger groups, a private buyout changes the dynamic entirely, effectively turning Deplar Farm into a private Icelandic retreat supported by Eleven's guides, chefs, wellness team, and lodge staff.
Dining Shaped by Northern Iceland
There is no traditional restaurant circuit at Deplar Farm. Dining forms part of the broader lodge experience, with menus changing according to the season, available ingredients, daily activities, and traveler preferences.
Icelandic seafood, lamb, vegetables, and other regional ingredients feature prominently, with meals designed to be sophisticated without feeling overly formal after a full day outdoors.
The Main Dining Room: The primary setting for breakfasts, lunches, and dinners, centered around a large communal table and expansive views across the valley.
The Bar & Lounge: A relaxed gathering place for cocktails, wine, and après-adventure drinks, with the atmosphere closer to a private residence than a conventional hotel bar.
Poolside Dining: The geothermal indoor/outdoor pool incorporates a swim-up bar, allowing lunches and drinks to become part of an afternoon spent between the water, sauna, and spa.
Outdoor & Adventure Dining: Depending on the season, weather, and itinerary, meals may also be incorporated into guided days away from the lodge, turning lunch into part of the wider experience rather than requiring travelers to return to the property.
Meals and many beverages are incorporated into Deplar Farm's inclusive lodge model, although inclusions vary according to package and season. Certain premium beverages, specialized activities, and wellness services may carry additional charges and should be confirmed when arranging each stay.
Fire, Ice & Recovery
For a property built around adventure, Deplar Farm dedicates an impressive amount of space to recovery.
The spa complex includes three treatment rooms, two flotation tanks, sauna and steam facilities, an indoor hot tub, fitness equipment, and spaces for movement and wellness programming.
The centerpiece is the geothermally heated indoor/outdoor pool. Travelers can begin inside before swimming through to the open air, where mountains frame the water in virtually every direction. During darker months, the pool also becomes one of the most memorable places at the property from which to watch for the Northern Lights.
Deplar's wellness philosophy increasingly draws upon Iceland's relationship with heat, cold, water, and the outdoors. Sauna sessions can be paired with cold immersion, while guided breathwork, yoga, stretching, massage, and other treatments may be incorporated around more physically demanding days.
The two flotation tanks provide an entirely different form of recovery, particularly welcome after consecutive days skiing, hiking, biking, or fishing.
Rather than treating wellness as a separate resort activity, Deplar Farm integrates it naturally into the rhythm of each day.
Four Seasons of Icelandic Adventure
Deplar Farm changes dramatically with the seasons, making the time of year one of the most important decisions when planning a stay.
Winter transforms the Fljót Valley into a snow-covered wilderness. Depending on conditions, days may include snowmobiling, cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, fat biking, and other guided winter experiences. Long nights also create favorable opportunities for Northern Lights viewing when skies are clear and auroral activity cooperates.
Spring introduces Deplar Farm's signature heli-ski season. The Troll Peninsula's combination of mountains, extensive terrain, and proximity to the ocean creates one of the world's most unusual heli-ski environments. Runs can descend toward fjords and the sea, while northern Iceland's long spring daylight extends the potential skiing window.
Heli-skiing is always dependent upon weather, snowpack, visibility, avalanche conditions, and operational considerations. It should never be treated as guaranteed on any particular day.
Summer changes the landscape completely. Snow retreats from lower elevations, hillsides turn intensely green, and northern Iceland's extraordinary daylight opens the door to long days outdoors.
Hiking, mountain biking, kayaking, horseback riding, rafting, whale watching, surfing, and fly-fishing may all form part of a summer itinerary. Anglers can pursue species including Atlantic salmon, Arctic char, sea-run brown trout, and wild brown trout depending on river, season, permits, and conditions.
And because Eleven's approach is highly customized, itineraries are rarely identical. Guides adjust each day according to weather, traveler interests, ability levels, and local conditions.
An Adventure Lodge That Works for Families
Despite its reputation for heli-skiing and high-adrenaline adventure, Deplar Farm can work exceptionally well for families.
The lodge's limited room count, flexible sleeping configurations, bunk room, lofted suites, media room, pool, and generous communal spaces allow different generations to share the property without spending every moment together.
Activities can also be adjusted according to age and ability. One part of a family may head into the mountains while others spend the morning swimming, exploring closer to the lodge, or enjoying the spa.
Depending on season and conditions, family-friendly activities may include hiking, biking, horseback riding, snowshoeing, snowmobiling, wildlife excursions, games, and time in the pool.
For multigenerational groups, a private lodge buyout is particularly compelling. The experience can be designed around the family rather than requiring the family to adapt to a predetermined resort schedule.
Parents should nevertheless discuss children's ages, swimming abilities, outdoor experience, equipment requirements, and any activity restrictions in advance. Certain adventures have minimum ages or physical requirements, while loft access in some suites may not suit every child.
Keeping the Landscape at the Center
Deplar Farm's most visible connection to sustainable design is architectural.
The living roof helps the substantial lodge sit quietly within the valley, while natural and locally connected materials – including river stone and coastal driftwood – appear throughout the property.
The geothermal-heated pool also reflects Iceland's distinctive relationship with geothermal energy, while the property's culinary program emphasizes ingredients sourced from Iceland whenever practical.
Perhaps equally important is the lodge's model of experiencing the region. Most days are spent outdoors with guides rather than inside purpose-built attractions, creating an experience rooted in the existing landscape, waterways, wildlife, and seasonal conditions.
As with any remote high-end lodge, travelers should avoid assuming that isolation automatically means a minimal environmental footprint. Helicopter operations, transfers, food logistics, and the demands of operating a sophisticated property in northern Iceland all require resources. Deplar Farm is best understood as a property attempting to connect its experience closely with the surrounding environment rather than as an entirely impact-free retreat.
Accessibility in a Remote Setting
Travelers with mobility considerations should discuss their individual requirements with the property before booking.
Deplar Farm contains rooms across multiple levels, and several suites incorporate lofts or ladder-accessed sleeping spaces that will not be suitable for all travelers. Outdoor terrain, snow, ice, weather, and the nature of many guided activities can create additional accessibility considerations.
Because accessibility needs vary considerably – particularly in a property where transfers and outdoor adventures are integral to the stay – we recommend confirming step-free routes, bathroom configuration, room placement, vehicle access, pool and spa access, and suitable guided experiences before finalizing arrangements.
For travelers requiring an accessible room or specific mobility assistance, accommodations should never be assumed without direct confirmation from the lodge.
Beyond the Fljót Valley
Although Deplar Farm can easily occupy an entire trip, northern Iceland offers opportunities to explore beyond the immediate property.
The Troll Peninsula is dotted with small fishing communities and dramatic coastal roads, while nearby fjords provide opportunities for marine wildlife viewing. Icelandic horse experiences can also be arranged in the region, offering a closer introduction to the distinctive breed that has developed in Iceland for more than a millennium.
Travelers continuing elsewhere in Iceland can combine Deplar Farm with Reykjavik, the south coast, Golden Circle, Westfjords, or another remote lodge, although we generally recommend allowing Deplar enough time to stand on its own rather than treating it as a brief extension.
Weather is too influential, and the range of possible experiences too extensive, to justify rushing the stay.
Getting There
Reaching Deplar Farm reinforces just how remote the property actually is.
Via Reykjavik and Akureyri: International travelers generally arrive through Keflavík International Airport before transferring to Reykjavík Domestic Airport. The domestic flight from Reykjavík to Akureyri takes approximately 45 minutes, followed by an approximately 90-minute drive from Akureyri into the Fljót Valley.
Keflavík International Airport to Reykjavík: Allow approximately 45–60 minutes by road, depending on traffic and the exact destination. Travelers connecting to a domestic flight must account for the transfer between Keflavík International Airport and Reykjavík Domestic Airport, as they are separate airports.
By Car from Reykjavík: The drive to Deplar Farm is approximately 4.5–5 hours in favorable conditions, although weather and road conditions can materially increase journey time. Self-driving is generally not recommended during the winter period, when snow and rapidly changing conditions can make northern routes considerably more challenging.
Private Air Arrangements: Private aviation and customized transfers may be arranged depending on aircraft, airport access, weather, and itinerary. For private groups, the most appropriate arrival plan should be coordinated directly around the overall journey.
Weather should always be built into the logistics. Northern Iceland can change quickly, and additional transfer time is sensible when coordinating international departures.
Iceland at Its Most Immersive
Eleven Deplar Farm is not the property we would choose for someone looking to check Iceland's famous landmarks off a list.
That is precisely the point.
The experience here is about staying still long enough to understand a particular corner of the country – waking to the same mountains under completely different light, following rivers through an otherwise empty valley, watching weather move across the peaks, and allowing each day's plans to respond to the landscape rather than forcing the landscape into an itinerary.
There are few properties where a morning might begin in a helicopter above Arctic mountains and end floating quietly in geothermal water beneath an open sky. In summer, the same valley becomes green and almost endlessly bright. In winter, snow and darkness transform it again.
The lodge itself is exceptional, but Deplar Farm's greatest accomplishment is knowing when to recede.
The mountains remain the centerpiece.
