You wake up in a lodge in northern Icelands secluded Fljot Valley surrounded by snow capped mountains and pristine lakes. Outside of these 652 acres in the Troll Peninsula, residents of a few sheep farms are the only other inhabitants. For anyone seeking a remote stay in stunning scenery, its hard to imagine a better option than Eleven Experiences Deplar Farm, also a converted sheep farm, reopening after a long pandemic closure June 5th with a couple of new features.

Iceland overall is a strong choice as an escape during these still problematic/confusing times: an island of dazzling landscapes scattered in secluded locations, it was always set up to be an ideal destination for travelers edging back onto the international map. Since the country was also at the forefront of handling the pandemic scientifically and carefully, it remains one of the countries presumed to be reliably safe once travel resumed. Now, even with some regulations shifting due to changing virus numbers in different countries, it is open to visitors fully vaccinated by an EU approved vaccine (Pfizer/BioNTech, Moderna, Johnson&Johnson, AstraZeneca) or who present a certificate of a prior COVID-19 infection; all still must undergo a test upon arrival and test negative. (That step may be reconsidered on June 1.)

The lodge is intimate13 roomsavailable by the room or as an exclusive buyout, reachable by a 4 ½ hour drive from Reykjavik or a short flight to a nearby fishing village. (Longer, though, if guests want to detour to see the continuing eruption of the Fagradalsfjall volcano in the southwest, an hour from the airport in Reykjavik.) Since daylight extends into nighttime, often 24 hours, with the famed midnight sun giving rise to countless midnight golf games, the activities in summer can continue long into the night: fly fishing for Atlantic salmon and Arctic char in the Fljótaá River five miles away, salmon in the Holkna River, where the company also operates a two bedroom lodge, and salmon and trout fishing in the Huseyjarkvisl River an hour away. Kayaking; surfing; horseback riding; whale watching; whitewater rafting; hot springs visits or scenic tours by helicopter from the Farms helipads are also available.

On property, the spa includes an Icelandic signature feature: a geothermal pool indoor and outdoor; along with treatment rooms, flotation tanks and a yoga room with views of the scenery all under the guidance of a wellness staff. There is also a media room and full bar. But as is true all over Iceland, meals take a prominent place given the overall excellence of ingredients and it is in this area that the Farm is introducing new locations to showcase them. Two other remote lodges Ghost Farm and Lake House are being outfitted to host private dinners prepared by the Farm chefs from extremely local ingredients: just caught seafood, locally raised lamb, organically grown produce. Anyone who has been to Iceland can attest to the purity and freshness of the countrys ingredients and sophistication of the preparations utilizing thempurity and sophistication also being apt descriptions of the country overall.