Cambridge University Colleges Guided Punting Tour
Description
A punt along the River Cam is one of the most relaxing ways to enjoy the atmosphere of Cambridge. This 45-minute guided tour begins at the boathouse and takes you gently along the river, offering views of the city's most picturesque sights. You’ll pass the paddocks of Trinity, the iconic bridges of Cambridge, and the famous King’s College Chapel facing the river. Along the way, you’ll also see Queens’ College — the oldest building on the river — and the striking architecture of the royal foundations. As you glide past tranquil green spaces and elegant college buildings, you can enjoy light refreshments on board. With peaceful surroundings, historic views, and the option to sip and relax, this experience captures the charm of one of the most famous waterways in the world.
Tour Options
Itinerary
As you begin your tour, admire the peaceful islands of Darwin College in the background of the pond – one of Cambridge’s newer colleges, yet full of character.
Slide in front of the historic pub where Pink Floyd is said to have first started playing music. Then gently move under the first bridge of our tour, with the river guiding the way.
Sit back and appreciate your excellent view of the bridge that somehow manages to get a graceful arch from a series of straight timbers!
Admire the stunning Gothic architecture of one of the most famous colleges in the University of Cambridge.
Listen to your guide describe the second-oldest surviving college of the University, which was one of the first to accept women as undergraduate students.
Admire the modern library of Trinity Hall, set within one of the oldest colleges in Cambridge. One of the best views in town, right over the river—where old tradition meets quiet modern charm.
Learn about the history of the college where Stephen Hawking completed his PhD, all while relaxing as your chauffeur punts you expertly along the river.
Relate to Queen Victoria as you look upon the bridge that was said to be one of her favourite spots in the city!
Complete your tour of the College Backs with Magdalene, known as one of the most traditional of the colleges. Make the most of these last few minutes to ask your knowledgeable guide any final questions to satisfy your curiosity! After this final stop, the boat will return to the station you started from.
Highlights
What's included
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Wheelchair accessible
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Specialized infant seats are available
- All areas and surfaces are wheelchair accessible
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
- Wheelchairs and strollers can be left at the punting station and retrieved at the end of the tour.
Reviews(219)
Very funny and knowledgeable. Absolutely loved the experience. Can't remember the name but he was Dutch.
Nice and good explanation of the tours and overall experience was great The person named Tommy was very helpful and very knowledgeable about the history and culture in this area.
An excellent informative tour by Niemh. The halls are stunning from the outside and the history of the colleges was very interesting. The 90 minute tour flew by and we really enjoyed it. Enough time was given to find the spot for the punting tour and although there was some repetition in the information given by the punter, seeing the halls from the river was well worth it.
We booked a shared punting tour but were lucky enough to be the only 2 people on it! We were on the first one of the morning and it was quite quiet on the river. Elijah was great - had great chat and lots of very interesting information on the colleges and sights we saw. It was a beautiful sunny morning and it was a perfect start to our day sightseeing in Cambridge. Would definitely recommend!!
Live history with wonderful boat journey , excellent narration, greart part of Cambridge University we can see trough a historical passage with great architecture
While punting on the river can be a great experience, there were elements of this particular tour that reduced our ability to enjoy it properly. To start with, despite having bought our tickets online, it was very chaotic at the meeting area (which was not explained well in the first place), and it took some time in the crowded space to find our boat/tour operator. As an ‘alumni’ tour, we had a student poling the punt and her inexperience affected the smoothness of the trip, and we could hear extremely little of what she was saying in her soft voice. To be fair, I think there were far too many boats allowed on the river at the one time which would make it difficult for many, but a more experienced operator would be preferable.
This was a very enjoyable way to see the colleges in Cambridge. It was a relaxed and friendly experience.
We were lucky to have the wonderful Will as our pusher looking after us, great warm personality and sooooo knowledgeable , thank you
Very good experience…..guide was knowledgeable and interesting. Easy to book and reasonable value for money
From the booking I was kept informed was emailed the ticket and was very easy to follow the directions given. We had amazing time and enjoyed both the scenery and the information that was given from our punter. Would definitely recommend.
