Segway Xtreme has moved to Twizel, offering Fun Rides in town and Guided Tours through the picturesque Mackenzie Basin town of Twizel. New owners Phil and Deborah Rive purchased Segway Xtreme from its previous owner in Lake Tekapo, and relocated the business to Twizel last month.

The Rives had strict criteria for the business: it must be fun, it must be safe and able to be used by the whole family, and it must be an activity that show-cases the beautiful and ever-changing scenery that Twizel has to offer. Importantly, the business should reflect the values of taking only photos and leaving only footprints - the essence of eco-tourism. I think you will agree that Segway Xtreme meets all these criteria and much more!

The business has a new page at Facebook here. Segway Xtreme activities include: Twizel is a fascinating town to visit, having been created as a greenfields development in 1968 to house construction workers for nearby hydroelectric power station construction projects. Heavy earthmoving machines feature as exhibits/sculptures in parks and reserves included on Segway Xtreme's guided tour route. According to Wikipedia the town was laid out in a 'Scandinavian' style. Shops, school, and recreational parkland formed a hub in the centre of the town, around which the residential area were built. Looping roads and pedestrian ways make it often far more direct to walk (or use a Segway Personal Transporter) than to use a car. Even the unusual construction of the roadways makes the town particularly Segway-friendly, as there are no curbs separating the road and footpath:

As the intention was for the town to revert to farmland, there were many 'temporary' features. For example, instead of putting in kerbing, channels, and footpaths at the edge of the road, a single expanse of seal was contoured in a very flat 'W' shape: the seal was highest at the outer edge (footpath) and in the middle (centreline), with a lower area serving as a channel and delineation between the roadway and footpath.

The area boasts one of the world's cleanest, driest and darkest skies, making the region particularly attractive to astronomers. Segway Xtreme began in the Hutt Valley in 2009, and moved to Lake Tekapo in 2013. It is a testament to the rugged reliability of the Segway Personal Transporter that these same original six 'Segway x2' models are still operating perfectly in a commercial capacity some 7 years later. This is also an excellent demonstration of how the owners of Segway Xtreme have built a business around an identifiable brand that has tradable and relocatable value.