New Zealand Fly-Fishing CME Adventure
December 6 – December 13, 2026

Experience world-class fly fishing while earning up to 13 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™ in one of the most breathtaking and remote landscapes on Earth. This 7-night / 5-day Fly-Fishing CME takes place at the award-winning Stonefly Lodge, nestled along the crystal-clear waters of New Zealand’s South Island.

Set against the dramatic backdrop of the Southern Alps, this immersive experience blends hands-on wilderness medicine education, guided fly fishing, and refined lodge living. Days are spent on pristine rivers stalking wild trout alongside expert New Zealand guides, followed by focused medical education sessions designed to bring wilderness medicine into real-world context.

Designed for medical professionals seeking something far beyond a traditional conference, this course offers a rare balance of education, adventure, and restoration. With all logistics handled and a small, intimate group size, participants are free to fully engage — on the water, in the classroom, and with each other.

This is more than a CME course.

It’s a once-in-a-lifetime journey built around learning where it truly counts.

If you’ve been searching for a CME experience that feels less like a conference — and more like the trip you’ve always dreamed of taking — this is it.

This trip is designed for medical professionals and outdoor enthusiasts who want to combine serious fly fishing, meaningful wilderness medicine education, and a small-group lodge experience in one of the most iconic fishing destinations in the world.

This is a tight-knit, small-group experience with a maximum of eight participants, including instructors. Days are spent fishing, learning, dining, and relaxing together at the lodge, creating a welcoming and inclusive environment. Whether you arrive solo or with a partner, this trip is built to foster camaraderie, shared adventure, and lasting friendships — you’ll fit in quickly.

This is not just a fishing trip — it’s an immersive wilderness medicine adventure set in one of the most beautiful places on Earth.

Over eight unforgettable days, you’ll combine world-class fly fishing, hands-on medical education, and refined lodge living in the remote heart of New Zealand’s South Island. Days are spent stalking wild trout in crystal-clear rivers beneath the Southern Alps, while evenings bring thoughtful CME discussions, exceptional food, and relaxed camaraderie at an award-winning lodge that feels worlds away from everyday life. This experience is equal parts adventure, education, and restoration — the kind that stays with you long after you’ve returned home.

Stonefly Lodge offers something rare: complete immersion in the wild without sacrificing comfort. After long days on the water, you’ll return to a warm, welcoming lodge powered by sustainable energy, featuring fine cuisine, comfortable rooms, and shared spaces designed for connection. It’s a place where stories are traded over dinner, friendships form quickly, and the pace of life slows just enough to let the experience sink in.

Wilderness medicine comes alive when it’s taught in the environments where it actually matters. Educational sessions are woven naturally into the trip, using real scenarios inspired by fishing, weather, terrain, and remoteness. Rather than sitting in a conference room, you’ll learn in context — applying practical medical principles alongside experienced faculty while surrounded by the very conditions that shape wilderness decision-making.

This rhythm creates a sustainable balance — full, rewarding days without feeling rushed — allowing you to fully enjoy the fishing, the education, and the people around you.

Yes, you’ll earn CME and FAWM credits — but you’ll also leave with:

Most participants leave saying the same thing:

 “I can’t believe this counted as CME — and I can’t wait to do it again.”

8 Days / 7 Nights
Nelson Stonefly Lodge Nelson

This trip blends guided fly fishing, immersive wilderness medicine education, and refined lodge living in one of New Zealand’s most celebrated fishing regions.

Nelson, New Zealand

Arrive in New Zealand and ease into the experience with introductions, orientation, and course kickoff.

Nelson Stonefly Lodge

The adventure truly begins as the group transfers into the heart of New Zealand’s fly-fishing country.

Stonefly Lodge

These are the core days of the experience — full days on the water paired with contextual medical education.

Stonefly Lodge

The final full day brings closure to the course and a last evening together at the lodge.

Stonefly Lodge Nelson Airport

Participants are responsible for booking their own international flights. Ground transfers between Nelson and Stonefly Lodge are included as outlined above.

Delegates should be vaccinated appropriately. Please refer to CDC recommendations for travel to New Zealand prior to departure.

Trip preparation resources:

After completing this course, participants will be able to:

    •    ACCME Statement: This activity has been planned and implemented in accordance with the Essential Areas and policies of the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education through the joint providership of the Wilderness Medical Society and Wild Med Adventures, LLC. The Wilderness Medical Society is accredited by the ACCME to provide continuing medical education for physicians.

    •    The Wilderness Medical Society designates this educational activity for a maximum of 13 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits TM. Each physician should only claim credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.

    •    All educational content presented in this activity has been reviewed and validated as appropriate in keeping with sound scientific principles.

Ben Mattingly, MD, FAWM

Educational instruction is provided by the Wild Med Adventures faculty, who are responsible solely for the medical education and CME components of this course.

All fishing logistics, guiding, and on-water leadership are provided by the professional New Zealand guides at Stonefly Lodge. Wild Med Adventures faculty are not fishing guides and are not responsible for fishing instruction, river conditions, or equipment use.

Participants are responsible for their own decisions, personal safety, and appropriate use of gear at all times.

Instructors and faculty may change based on availability.

Full payment is due 90 days prior to the course start date.
A $500 late fee will be added for payments received after this deadline, or your spot may be forfeited.

Participants should carry personal medical insurance valid for international travel, as well as travel insurance to cover delays, missed flights, weather interruptions, or trip disruption.

Rescue / evacuation insurance is strongly recommended for this trip. Wild Med Adventures is not responsible for costs incurred due to injury, illness, evacuation, or hospitalization. We recommend Global Rescue, or an equivalent provider.

Participation in this course involves fly fishing and travel in remote and wilderness environments within New Zealand. Activities may include fishing in rivers and streams, hiking between fishing locations, exposure to variable weather conditions, uneven terrain, and limited access to immediate medical facilities. Such activities inherently involve risk, including but not limited to personal injury, illness, environmental exposure, equipment damage or loss, evacuation delays, and travel disruption.

Participants are solely responsible for their own actions, decisions, and conduct throughout the trip, including fishing activities and personal equipment use.

Wild Med Adventures faculty provide medical education only and do not provide fishing instruction, supervision, or safety oversight. Fishing logistics, guiding, and on-water leadership are provided by professional New Zealand guides affiliated with Stonefly Lodge. Wild Med Adventures and its faculty are not responsible for river conditions, weather, fishing techniques, participant behavior, or equipment use.

This course requires participants to spend multiple days fishing in outdoor and wilderness environments and may involve physical exertion such as hiking, standing in moving water, and prolonged periods outdoors. Participants are responsible for assessing their own physical fitness, medical readiness, and ability to safely participate prior to enrollment. Participation is not advised for individuals unable to tolerate physical activity in remote settings or variable environmental conditions.

Participants are strongly encouraged to carry personal medical insurance valid for international travel. Travel insurance is strongly recommended to cover delays, missed connections, weather disruptions, or trip interruption. Rescue and evacuation insurance is recommended but not required. Participants are solely responsible for obtaining and maintaining appropriate insurance coverage. Wild Med Adventures is not responsible for any costs incurred due to injury, illness, evacuation, or hospitalization.

Participants are responsible for securing all required travel documents for entry into New Zealand. Visa and entry requirements vary by nationality and are subject to change. It is the participant’s responsibility to confirm and comply with all applicable entry requirements prior to departure.

By enrolling in and participating in this course, participants acknowledge and accept the inherent risks associated with fly fishing, wilderness travel, and remote-area activities, and agree to assume full responsibility for their participation.