Geography of the Imagination: Iceland September 19 - 25, 2026

Join us for our 2026 Iceland Adventure

Our base will be one of Iceland’s most beautiful luxury lodges right in the heart of the Golden Circle. Click here for images of our lodge. You’ll be writing every morning from prompts and exploring Iceland with us, or independently, in the afternoons. You can write in any style or genre that suits you, and we welcome people at all levels of writing experience as well as photographers, painters, and other artists who want to add some words to their images.

In southern Iceland, not far from the city of Reykjavik in the town of Selfoss, our base is at the heart of many of Iceland’s most famous tourist attractions such as Geysir, Gullfoss, and Thingvellir, and two hours from the dramatic shores of Vik. Beyond those known attractions there are less travelled hikes, lakes, hot water streams, and more to explore.

All meals are prepared by our fabulous chef, Kirke Olson, and shared around a long table in the Thorrablot style. Imagine yourself sitting in an extraordinary geothermal-heated hot tub overlooking the landscape, feeling fulfilled from your creativity-infused day!

Lodging

We’ll be located in luxury lodge accommodations in the town of Selfoss, about 40 minutes from Reykjavik and in the center of the Golden Circle.

The cost is $6,000 per room with an ensuite bathroom, or $5500 per room with shared bath (baths are shared between just two rooms)*. There's a sauna, hot tub, and gym in the lodge. The price includes all your meals at the lodge, prepared by our chef, transportation while in Iceland - with pick-up at the airport on September 19 and delivery back to the airport on September 25. The only out-of-pocket expenses are your flights to/from Keflavik, any helicopter tours (fyi, there is a helicopter pad at the lodge), any meals eaten out, or alcohol that you choose to purchase and consume during the week.

*If you're hoping to bring a companion to share your room, there is an addtl charge of $2400.

Here's a link to see pictures of our lodge https://icelandluxurylodges.com/ulfljotsskali/

Your leaders:

Meg Weston and Jane Pirone will be your co-facilitators, working with prompts that give you the opportunity to combine sensory detail, imagery, and words to capture layered connections to place, time, characters and worldbuilding. We’ll be joined by Kirke Olson, writer, chef, psychologist also an ANFT-certified forest therapy guide.

Meg Weston leads writing retreats connected to geological hot spots such as Iceland, Hawaii, and other places around the world. She is a photographer, poet and non-fiction writer who is passionate about the forces that shape the earth and the stories that shape our lives. She’s been traveling to Iceland since 1974, photographing volcanic activity, and leading writing retreats there since 2014.

Jane Pirone’s creative and transdisciplinary practice engages with living systems, storytelling, and participatory futures from critical, queer and post-human perspectives. Jane is on the faculty of Parsons School of Design and leads international workshops focusing on creativity and collaboration.

Both Meg and Jane are trained as AWA (Amherst Writers & Artists) facilitators, and use these practices that help guide you past the inner critique to access your unique voice.

Kirke Olson is a psychologist who applies research results from positive psychology, neuroscience and mindfulness to his work with schools and other professionals. He is an ANFT-certified forest therapy guide, a writer, and also our esteemed chef!