When you travel to New Zealand on your own as self driving travel, you need to check the road conditions before travel around both islands. Lots of roads been damages or closed or destroyed by the heavy rain recently.

There is an website that you can check.

Links : Journeys.nzta.govt.nz/highway-conditions

Recently, there was lot of severe weather in New Zealand. Especially, North Island been hit with strong cyclone and heavy rain so the main highway to the Coromandel peninsula was destroyed.

Even in South Island, lots of roads are closed due to heavy snows near mountain areas. You better to check the road conditions before you drive around.