Winter or summer for this trip?

Two different propositions. Winter (mid-February through early April) gives you Northern Lights, heli-skiing on the Troll Peninsula, ice caves at Vatnajokull, and the long-night photography of the south coast — but daylight is 7-9 hours and the Ring Road in February requires winter-spec 4x4 (Land Cruiser or Defender) and willingness to flex the itinerary by weather. Summer (mid-June through mid-August) gives you 22-24 hours of daylight, full road access, puffin season at Latrabjarg, hiking trails open through the highlands, and a calmer driving experience — but no Northern Lights and no heli-ski. The desk's first pick depends on the brief: winter for the Deplar-anchored guest who came for the helicopter, summer for the Ring Road-anchored guest who came for the drive.

Deplar Farm — what does the rate actually cover?

Deplar Farm runs on a fully-inclusive model. The 2026 rate of approximately US $2,775 per room per night on the Full Experience covers all meals, all drinks (including wine, beer, spirits), all on-property activities (Nordic spa, geothermal pool, the gym, the ski room), guided summer activities (hiking, mountain biking, fly fishing, horseback riding, sea kayaking), guided winter activities ground-based (snowshoeing, snowmobiling, cross-country skiing, Northern Lights guided viewing), and the on-property gear. The heli-skiing and helicopter sightseeing are additional — approximately US $1,800-3,500 per person per day for heli-skiing and US $4,500-8,500 per hour for the helicopter charter.

How does the helicopter from Reykjavik to Deplar Farm work?

Deplar Farm sits on the Troll Peninsula in the north of Iceland, approximately 380 kilometres from Reykjavik by road (5-6 hours by car including a stop) or 90 minutes by fixed-wing flight (Reykjavik domestic to Saudarkrokur or Akureyri plus a 30-40 minute ground transfer) or 1 hour 45 minutes by helicopter direct to the Deplar helipad. The helicopter is approximately US $8,000-12,000 one-way for the direct transfer; the fixed-wing plus car is approximately US $1,200-1,800 per person. The desk's recommendation is the fixed-wing routing on the inbound (after the Ring Road, you fly from Akureyri 25 minutes to Saudarkrokur, then drive 35 minutes to Deplar) and the helicopter on the outbound for the aerial overview.

Ring Road — 5 nights or longer?

The Ring Road is approximately 1,332 kilometres around. A 5-night version covers the south coast (Reykjavik to Vik, the Vik area, Skaftafell to Hofn, Hofn to the east fjords, the east fjords to Lake Myvatn). A 7-night version adds the north coast and the Snaefellsnes Peninsula. A 10-night Ring Road alone is the full circumnavigation with rest days. For this 10-day combo with Deplar Farm, the 5-night Ring Road is the structural fit — it covers the highlights and leaves four nights for the lodge. If the brief is Ring Road alone, do the 7-night version and skip Deplar.

Deplar Farm 6-9 months for the prime February-March Northern Lights and heli-ski weeks (the 8-bedroom whole-lodge buyout, structurally the property's most-requested booking, runs 12 months out). 4-6 months for the summer shoulder. Ring Road hotels are looser — 4-6 months for the prime July-August Ring Road dates and 2-4 months for winter. The Buubble bubble hotels and the ION Adventure Hotel are the bottlenecks on the Ring Road side.

The 10-Day Iceland Ring Road + Deplar Farm Itinerary 2026

The premise

Two halves of one Iceland trip. The Ring Road is the geological theatre — glaciers, the Jokulsarlon iceberg lagoon, the south-coast waterfalls (Seljalandsfoss and Skogafoss), the lava fields, the volcanic black-sand beaches at Reynisfjara. Deplar Farm is the heritage lodge in a fjord on the Troll Peninsula — a converted sheep farm operated by Eleven Experience as the country’s headline all-inclusive private lodge, with the helicopter base for heli-skiing in winter and the riverside fly-fishing programme in summer. The two halves are structurally different in pace — the Ring Road is the active drive, Deplar is the basecamp reset — and 10 days is the right length for the combination.

The trip is not the cruise itinerary (which catches the country from the water and never reaches the interior), not the Reykjavik city break (which misses the country’s geological core), and not the Greenland or Faroes detour. The trip is the country at the level of detail that a Ring Road drive plus an Eleven Experience lodge stay delivers — and the desk’s view is that this is the right shape for a first Iceland visit at the standard.

The logistics

Arrival is into Keflavik International (KEF), 45 minutes from Reykjavik by road. The KEF FBO is BIRK General Aviation; private jet arrivals also use Reykjavik Domestic (RKV) which is closer to the city centre. The standard international routing is direct from London, Frankfurt, Amsterdam, Paris, or New York JFK and Boston BOS via Icelandair, with United operating the JFK and Newark routes and Delta serving Boston.

Ground for the Ring Road is a private 4x4 with a driver-guide (the desk’s standing recommendation for winter; self-drive in summer is feasible if the guest is comfortable with gravel sections and single-lane bridges, but the driver-guide is the cleaner brief in any season). The standing operators are Hidden Iceland, Iceland Encounter, and Black Tomato’s local partner programme. Day rates with a driver-guide and Land Cruiser run approximately EUR 850-1,200 in summer and EUR 950-1,400 in winter.

The Reykjavik-Deplar transfer is one of three:

Self-drive Ring Road completion north to Saudarkrokur (5-6 hours from Akureyri), with onward transfer to the lodge
Fixed-wing Akureyri or Saudarkrokur (25-40 minutes from Reykjavik domestic) plus the lodge’s 35-minute ground transfer
Helicopter direct from Reykjavik or from a Ring Road waypoint (approximately 1 hour 45 minutes from Reykjavik, US $8,000-12,000 one-way)

The desk’s standing brief for the 10-day combination is fixed-wing inbound to Deplar (after Akureyri Ring Road completion) and helicopter outbound from Deplar (the aerial transit gives the trip its closing register).

The day-by-day

Day 1 — Reykjavik

Land KEF morning. Private car to The Reykjavik EDITION (the Ian Schrager-and-Marriott boutique opened in 2021 on the harbour) or to Hotel Borg (the historic 1930 Reykjavik anchor on Austurvollur square). Afternoon at the Sky Lagoon (the newer geothermal lagoon south of Reykjavik, opened 2021) or at the Blue Lagoon (the original; further from the city but historically the headline). Dinner at Dill (one Michelin star, chef Gunnar Karl Gislason) or at Sumac for the regional Levantine fusion.

Days 2-3 — South coast and Vik

Day 2: Pickup by driver-guide. Drive the Golden Circle (Thingvellir National Park, the Geysir geothermal area, Gullfoss waterfall) as the morning loop, then onto the south coast toward Vik. Overnight at ION Adventure Hotel at Nesjavellir (the lava-clad property in the geothermal valley with the Northern Lights bar) or at the Ranga Hotel (south coast standard).

Day 3: South coast extension. Seljalandsfoss (the waterfall you can walk behind), Skogafoss (the broader sheet-fall), the Solheimajokull glacier hike or ice cave (winter only, summer the glacier ice retreats). Lunch at Skogafoss cafe or at Black Beach Restaurant in Reynisfjara. Overnight at Hotel Ranga or at Fosshotel Glacier Lagoon further east.

Days 4-5 — Skaftafell and Hofn

Day 4: Drive east through the Vatnajokull National Park (the largest glacier in Europe by volume). The Jokulsarlon iceberg lagoon and the adjoining Diamond Beach are the day’s anchor — the lagoon contains floating icebergs that calved from the Breidamerkurjokull tongue, and the Diamond Beach is the strip of black sand where the icebergs wash ashore. Optional glacier hike or boat ride on the lagoon. Overnight at Fosshotel Glacier Lagoon (the closest hotel to the Jokulsarlon).

Day 5: Hofn lobster town day. Drive to Hofn (the regional capital of the southeast, known for the langoustine). Lunch at Pakkhus restaurant (the langoustine bisque is the regional dish). Afternoon onward to the east fjords — the road winds through Djupivogur and Faskrudsfjordur, the small fjord villages. Overnight at Hotel Aldan in Seydisfjordur or at Fosshotel Eastfjords.

Day 6 — Lake Myvatn and Akureyri

Drive north through Egilsstadir and into the Myvatn area. Lake Myvatn is a geothermal landscape with pseudo-craters, the Hverir mud pools, the Dimmuborgir lava formations, and the Myvatn Nature Baths (the north’s quieter alternative to the Blue Lagoon). Lunch at Vogafjos cowshed cafe. Afternoon onward to Akureyri (the north’s second city, 1 hour from Myvatn). Overnight at Hotel Kea or at Hof Husavik.

Day 7 — Akureyri to Deplar

Morning at Akureyri (the Botanical Gardens and the church). Fixed-wing flight from Akureyri to Saudarkrokur (25 minutes), then the 35-minute Deplar shuttle transfer. Check in at Deplar Farm in the Fljot Valley. The lodge has 13 rooms in the main lodge building (a converted sheep barn), the spa with the geothermal pool, the music room with the original Steinway piano, and the dining room.

Quiet afternoon at the lodge. Dinner is family-style at Deplar — chef-driven, locally-sourced, drinks-inclusive.

Days 8-9 — Deplar full days

Day 8: Heli-ski day (winter) or Hofsa River fly-fishing day (summer). The Deplar heli-ski programme operates approximately mid-February through May, with the Bell 407 and AS350 helicopters running from the on-property helipad to the Trolla, Almenningur, and Stafshornid summits. The terrain runs approximately 800-1,400 metres vertical, intermediate-to-advanced, with the guides from the Eleven Experience programme. Three runs per day is the standard programme. Summer brings the Hofsa River fly-fishing — the Hofsa is one of Iceland’s productive Atlantic salmon rivers, with the season running roughly mid-June through late September.

Day 9: Northern Lights tour and Nordic spa (winter) or sea kayaking and the Drangey island puffin colony (summer). The Nordic spa at Deplar — cold plunge, sauna, steam, and the outdoor geothermal pool that connects directly to the night sky — is the lodge’s signature non-activity ritual.

Day 10 — Departure

Morning at the lodge. Helicopter departure direct to Reykjavik Domestic (RKV) or Keflavik (KEF) — approximately 1 hour 45 minutes, with the aerial overview of the Westfjords, Snaefellsnes Peninsula, and the Reykjavik bay as the trip’s closing image. International departure from KEF afternoon.

The standing recommendations

For a winter Northern Lights and heli-ski brief: late February through mid-March, Ring Road in 4x4 with driver-guide, Deplar Farm 4 nights with two heli-ski days and one Northern Lights night. Northern Lights are weather-dependent; budget two clear-sky nights minimum and accept that the Deplar guides are the best chance of capturing them.

For a summer brief: late June through mid-August for the midnight sun, Ring Road in 4x4 with the option to self-drive, Deplar 4 nights with fly-fishing or the Drangey puffin colony day. The summer trip rate-cards approximately 25-35 percent below the winter heli-ski peak.

For a family with active teens: the summer version with the Deplar fly-fishing, sea kayaking, and horseback riding inclusions. The lodge handles mixed-ability groups well and the activities programme is genuinely flexible.

For a couple’s wellness-anchored brief: skip the heli-ski programme, take the summer or autumn Deplar stay with the Nordic spa, music room, and Hofsa fly-fishing as the daily rhythm. Shoulder rate, no helicopter day rates.

For the whole-lodge buyout (8 rooms private): a small group of friends or a family reunion — Deplar runs the buyout for groups of 12-26 guests at approximately US $35,000-65,000 per night depending on season and the helicopter usage.

The reservations math

The all-in for the 10-day winter combo for two:

Reykjavik 1 night at approximately US $650
Ring Road 5 nights at hotels averaging US $550 per night = US $2,750
Driver-guide for 5 days at approximately EUR 1,000 per day = approximately US $5,500
Deplar Farm 4 nights at approximately US $3,200 per room per night = US $12,800 (off-peak shoulder) or US $14,800 (peak Northern Lights week)
Heli-ski 2 days at approximately US $2,500 per person per day x 2 guests x 2 days = US $10,000
Helicopter transfer out at approximately US $9,500
Fixed-wing Akureyri to Saudarkrokur for two at approximately US $700
F&B above included meals, miscellaneous: approximately US $1,500
KEF transfers: approximately US $400

Total all-in for the 10-day winter heli-ski version for two: approximately US $43,000-46,000 before international air.

The summer version of the same trip (no heli-ski, fly-fishing instead) lands closer to US $28,000-32,000 for two.

Deposit and cancellation: Deplar Farm runs on a 50 percent deposit at booking with the balance 60 days before arrival, and non-refundable inside 60 days. Ring Road hotels typically run 25-30 percent at booking with the balance on arrival, and cancellation 30 days out at most properties. The helicopter charter requires a 50 percent deposit at booking and is non-refundable inside 14 days (weather cancellations are rebookable).

Lead times: 6-9 months for the prime February-March heli-ski weeks at Deplar Farm. 4-6 months for the summer high season. The 8-room whole-lodge buyout runs 12 months out for the prime weeks. Ring Road hotels in summer book 4-6 months ahead at the prime properties (ION, Fosshotel Glacier Lagoon).

Standing Questions

Winter or summer for this trip?: Two different propositions. Winter (mid-February through early April) gives you Northern Lights, heli-skiing on the Troll Peninsula, ice caves at Vatnajokull, and the long-night photography of the south coast — but daylight is 7-9 hours and the Ring Road in February requires winter-spec 4x4 (Land Cruiser or Defender) and willingness to flex the itinerary by weather. Summer (mid-June through mid-August) gives you 22-24 hours of daylight, full road access, puffin season at Latrabjarg, hiking trails open through the highlands, and a calmer driving experience — but no Northern Lights and no heli-ski. The desk's first pick depends on the brief: winter for the Deplar-anchored guest who came for the helicopter, summer for the Ring Road-anchored guest who came for the drive.
Deplar Farm — what does the rate actually cover?: Deplar Farm runs on a fully-inclusive model. The 2026 rate of approximately US $2,775 per room per night on the Full Experience covers all meals, all drinks (including wine, beer, spirits), all on-property activities (Nordic spa, geothermal pool, the gym, the ski room), guided summer activities (hiking, mountain biking, fly fishing, horseback riding, sea kayaking), guided winter activities ground-based (snowshoeing, snowmobiling, cross-country skiing, Northern Lights guided viewing), and the on-property gear. The heli-skiing and helicopter sightseeing are additional — approximately US $1,800-3,500 per person per day for heli-skiing and US $4,500-8,500 per hour for the helicopter charter.
How does the helicopter from Reykjavik to Deplar Farm work?: Deplar Farm sits on the Troll Peninsula in the north of Iceland, approximately 380 kilometres from Reykjavik by road (5-6 hours by car including a stop) or 90 minutes by fixed-wing flight (Reykjavik domestic to Saudarkrokur or Akureyri plus a 30-40 minute ground transfer) or 1 hour 45 minutes by helicopter direct to the Deplar helipad. The helicopter is approximately US $8,000-12,000 one-way for the direct transfer; the fixed-wing plus car is approximately US $1,200-1,800 per person. The desk's recommendation is the fixed-wing routing on the inbound (after the Ring Road, you fly from Akureyri 25 minutes to Saudarkrokur, then drive 35 minutes to Deplar) and the helicopter on the outbound for the aerial overview.
Ring Road — 5 nights or longer?: The Ring Road is approximately 1,332 kilometres around. A 5-night version covers the south coast (Reykjavik to Vik, the Vik area, Skaftafell to Hofn, Hofn to the east fjords, the east fjords to Lake Myvatn). A 7-night version adds the north coast and the Snaefellsnes Peninsula. A 10-night Ring Road alone is the full circumnavigation with rest days. For this 10-day combo with Deplar Farm, the 5-night Ring Road is the structural fit — it covers the highlights and leaves four nights for the lodge. If the brief is Ring Road alone, do the 7-night version and skip Deplar.
Lead times?: Deplar Farm 6-9 months for the prime February-March Northern Lights and heli-ski weeks (the 8-bedroom whole-lodge buyout, structurally the property's most-requested booking, runs 12 months out). 4-6 months for the summer shoulder. Ring Road hotels are looser — 4-6 months for the prime July-August Ring Road dates and 2-4 months for winter. The Buubble bubble hotels and the ION Adventure Hotel are the bottlenecks on the Ring Road side.