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ID here 100919

Luxury Icelandic Eco Retreat

From £6557 pp

Iceland, Reykjavik

3 Nights

Private Experience for up to 6

Luxury Icelandic Eco Retreat

From £6557 pp

What You'll Do

Explore Iceland on this incredible bespoke luxury 4-day adventure, where you will discover stunning waterfalls, breathtaking ice caves, glaciers and geothermal pools, soak in the Blue Lagoon, experience some Icelandic ingenuity at a tomato farm, benefit from the local expertise of your private guide, and stay in one of the most stunning examples of eco-accommodation.

Set in the heart of Iceland‘s magnificent Golden Circle, the luxury Torfhús Retreat manages to effortlessly blend authentic Icelandic style and luxury, all whilst running solely on energy generated by geothermal and hydroelectric means.

The design of the exclusive lodges is inspired by the architecture of the Icelandic Viking farm at nearby Stöng, and the traditional torfhús residences and torfbaer suites are crafted from local stone and reclaimed wood and turf.

You’ll find everything, from the stylish furniture to the buildings themselves is hand-crafted on-site, sourced locally, and wherever possible, made with reclaimed materials. This results in hugely characterful spaces and unique, quirky features like an old fishing boat repurposed into a sofa.

Combine this unique accommodation with a wonderful array of eco-friendly features, including a no-bottled water policy (the tap water here couldn’t be purer) and living turf roofs, stunning views of the volcanic plains and distant mountains, a gorgeous basalt stone hot pool and some of the finest dining in the country, and you have a luxurious and spectacular base for your adventures.

In terms of the activities themselves, you’ll get to experience the very best of southern Iceland in a truly immersive action-packed four days, whatever the season. From secret geo-thermally heated lagoons, to the spraying geysers and waterfalls of the Golden Circle, black sand beaches to the amazing crystal blue of the ice caves, your private guide will be dedicated to delivering the very best experience on your activity holiday in Iceland, tailored to what you want to do.

During the winter months, soak in your hot basalt stone pool as the northern lights flicker overhead in the pitch-black sky, or drink in this otherworldly sight from the comfort of your cosy lodge. During the summer the midnight sun casts endless daylight on the steaming thermal pools, lush green meadows and distant snow-capped mountains, creating breathtaking views unlike anywhere else in the world.

The cuisine at your accommodation is genuinely world-class, and entirely Icelandic. Inspired by Icelandic tradition and reworked using cutting-edge techniques, the cooking is creative, dramatic, and unlike anything you will have tasted before.

Your chef, Thorarinn Eggertson, uses only the freshest, most local Icelandic ingredients to create a truly authentic Icelandic dining experience, with many ingredients being sourced from within a ten-mile radius of the retreat.

Vegetables, herbs, fruits and berries are grown on-site using greenhouses that intelligently utilise geothermal energy, and wild salmon and char is caught in nearby rivers. Seafood is sourced from local fisherman from the coast, and mountain grazed lamb and beef is as fresh and local as it comes.

All these ingredients are cleverly combined into incredibly creative, incredibly delicious dishes that are then carefully paired with selected wines from the cellar, making your dining experience in the retreat one of the best in all of Iceland.

All in all, this is a one-of-a-kind, bucket-list retreat that sees you staying in complete and utter luxury in the Icelandic wilderness, whilst having a negligible impact on our planet. You’ll also see the very best that south Iceland has to offer on offbeat and private tours of some of the most spectacular corners of the incredible little country.

Experience
Highlights

Stay in stunning eco-accomomdation with your own private geothermally heated pool and characterful cabin

Explore the Golden Circle, a quirky Icelandic tomato farm and discover secret lagoons known only to the locals

Release your inner adventurer on private guided tours of beautiful ice caves

Enjoy exquisite, authentic Icelandic food on the accommodation site

Benefit from your own private expert guide for the duration of the tour

Your Local Host:

Rannveig

I constantly consider myself lucky to be Icelandic and live in this incredible destination that Iceland is. Our culture, the Northern Lights, erupting volcanoes and incredible nature provide some of the best holiday experiences you can get. I have spent the last 15 years truly exploring my own country and it continues to amaze me every single day. The weather may be a challenge - we never know what what conditions will be thrown our way - but you can rest assured that every minute is an adventure! Respect for nature is important to all Icelanders and all the partners we work with care for people and for the environment. We are a family business committed to offering our customers the best, true, authentic experiences and nowhere else will you get a more personal service than with us.

Experience Itinerary

Arrival Day

Welcome to Iceland! Meet your expert guide in the arrivals hall and transfer to your accommodation, the Torfhus Retreat. Enjoy the rest of the day free at your leisure and in the evening enjoy dinner at your lodge.

 

 

 

 

Accommodation

Torfhus Lodge

Living turf roofs, stone and reclaimed wooden walls, charming personal touches such as landscape photographs taken by the family and stylish lambskin rugs create a relaxing and homely atmosphere.

Each 60 sqm Torfhús has two bedrooms and a luxurious bathroom. Reclaimed oak, rustic painted walls and hand crafted furniture create a warm and cosy chalet-style interior.

You also have your own basalt pool where you can relax under the bright constellations, the dancing Northern Lights, or the gently falling snow of winter. Or, during the warm days and white nights of summer, your basalt stone hot pool is the ultimate spot for relaxation and rejuvenation.

Torfhús Retreat is totally committed to sustainable practices and is lucky enough to generate all its energy using hydroelectric and geothermal power. The geothermal power source, less than 5km away, provides all of the heating for the houses and pools. So set the temperature to your liking (36-42 degrees), relax and retreat into authentic Icelandic nature regardless of the season or weather.

eco lodge retreat in iceland in the snow

The Golden Circle, Tomato Farms and Secret Lagoons

Today, it’s time to explore the magnificent Golden Circle area with your expert guide. Start at Þingvellir National Park, home to the world’s first parliament and two tectonic plates visibly being pulled apart by up to 2cm each year.

Then, you’ll head to the hot spring area, where you can see Strokkur erupting every 5-10 minutes before visiting the mighty Gullfoss Waterfall.

Enjoy lunch at Friðheimar farm. At Friðheimar, they grow tomatoes all year round, despite Iceland’s long, dark winters, under artificial lighting in greenhouses.

You’ll get to explore the greenhouses, and then enjoy a taste of the crop. Friðheimar has a real focus on sustainability and responsible tourism.

They are a great example of tourism done right – as they go about everything with the local community and environment at the forefront of their minds, and it’s a great opportunity for you to see some responsible tourism in action.

Next, your hosts have arranged an entrance for you in the beautiful Secret Lagoon. It has been kept natural and unique so that guests can experience that true Icelandic feeling.

As the pool’s steam rises into the air the whole place has a magical feeling. The warm water stays at 38-40 Celsius all year. The surrounding area has several geothermal spots and a little Geysir which erupts every 5 minutes, showing off for the guests relaxing in the hot spring.

Accommodation

Torfhús Retreat

eco lodge retreat in iceland under the northern lights

The South Coast and Ice Cave Explorations

Our first stop is the majestic Skógafoss waterfall, one of the most iconic ones in the country. You might remember it from the popular Game of Thrones show, where it played a significant role.

Our Katlatrack Team will meet you at our meeting point in Vik Iceland. You will then embark on a beautiful and exciting super jeep ride to the secret area of one of our 13 glaciers (30-60
minute super jeep ride)! Once at the glacier area, you will borrow gear (IE, helmet, headlamp,
and crampons) and our local guide will do an educational brief on safety, what to expect, etc.

You will take a short hike through an amazing glacier area towards the natural ice cave. Our
guide will always choose the most accessible and safe path. As the glacier constantly changes,
the path may differ day to day, same as the look of the ice cave. This makes each tour a unique experience! Nobody would see the natural ice cave the same as you would. We would always make sure you would have enough time to explore the glacier area and take plenty of photos to make this day memorable.

At the end of the tour our local Vik Iceland guide will give you a little more insight into how the ice cave was formed and answer any questions you may have. After ample time for your photos and selfies, we hike back out and take the gear off. Then it’s time to get you back to the Katlatrack meeting point so you can continue on with your own agenda of discovering Iceland!

Afterwards you will visit the world-famous Reynisfjara black sand beach. Before heading back to Reykjavik, you will also stop by the beautiful Seljalandsfoss waterfall, which is located right under the infamous Eyjafjallajökull volcano, famous for its eruptions in 2010 which halted many flights around Europe. If the weather is nice enough, you’ll be able to go behind the waterfall’s curtains and even see the somewhat hidden little cousin, Gljúfrabúi, which is a waterfall hiding in the mountainside.

Accommodation

Torfhús Retreat

eco lodge retreat in iceland living space

Departure Day

Sadly, it’s time to say goodbye to Iceland. Your guide will drive you to Keflavik airport for your departure.

Location Information

You will get picked up from Keflavik Airport by your private guide and transferred in a Jeep to the retreat, deep in the Icelandic wilderness.

The retreat is located in the rural heart of Iceland‘s breathtaking Golden Circle. It offers guests the ability to enjoy the peace and comfort of authentic Icelandic hospitality whilst also being able to easily explore the iconic sights nearby.

At the end of the experience, your guide will drop you back off at Keflavik Airport for your return flight.

  • Pick-up and drop-off at the airport
  • Private super jeep and expert local guide throughout from start to finish
  • 3 nights accommodation at Torfhus Retreat on Half Board basis with your own basalt pool (breakfast + dinner)
  • Friðheimar tomato farm visit & tomato soup lunch
  • Entrance to the Secret Lagoon including towel rental
  • Guided expert Ice Cave experience

FAQs

Bathroom Room with large bottle vanity products
Spacious living room and private veranda
Geothermically heated basalt stone hot pool
Fully-equipped kitchen
Nespresso coffee machine and herbal teas
Daily re-stocked mini bar
UHD Smart TV
High-speed WIFI-internet
Safe deposit box

As befits cuisine inspired by Icelandic tradition and based on local ingredients, breakfast, lunch and dinner are served in the classic Viking Langhus.

Light and airy during the day with glorious views over grazing Icelandic horses to mountains and the glacier beyond, at night the atmosphere changes to a cosy, candlelit mood; the perfect backdrop to the celebrated cuisine of Torfhus Retreat.

The food is incredible, made by some of the best chefs in the country using locally sourced ingredients to create some of the best meals you will ever try.

It isn't, but you will be out and about with your guide who would be happy to make some recommendations for you.

In the evenings, enjoy the lodge itself - go on little walks around the area, soak in the basalt hot pool, read a book etc. It’s all about being in the wonderful silence in Icelandic nature.