Private | Oxford University Colleges Guided Punting Tour
Description
Nothing captures the charm of England quite like a peaceful punt gliding along the calm waters of a river, surrounded by nature, meadows, and striking historic buildings. This 30-minute punting tour on the River Cherwell departs from the boathouse and passes some of Oxford’s most scenic spots, including the Botanic Gardens, Magdalen College School fields, Christ Church Meadows, and the gardens of St Hilda’s College — offering a chance to experience some of the most idyllic corners of Oxford.
Tour Options
Itinerary
Make your own way to Magdalen Bridge Boathouse, where a manager will meet you and direct you to the departure point for your punting tour!
See sites of famous literary inspiration as you glide along the River Cherwell with your guide.
Start your relaxing trip by being chauffeured past the UK’s oldest botanic garden, with the dreaming spires of Oxford peeking over the trees.
Continue your peaceful trip through the nature of Oxford by passing Christ Church Meadow, a large area owned by the College which allows access to many of the cities boathouses.
One of several extensive College Gardens, St Hilda’s boasts rich wildlife and seasonal colour year-round, perfect to appreciate on your serene trip along the River Cherwell!
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.
- In autumn and winter, Oxford’s rivers can experience high or low water levels. Tours may be cancelled in such cases, with a refund or alternative option provided. These conditions are beyond our control.
Reviews(39)
Beautiful exoerience knowledgable and friendly guide
Morgan was a great guide. He knew a lot of facts. He was happy to answer any and all questions that we had and we would 100% go again.
It was fun, particularly watching those that hadn't hired a guide to punt for them. Nick our guide made it a very relaxing experience with some entertainment thrown in by way of some interesting facts that he used to quiz us.
The punting was good, very relaxing and enjoyable scenery. One thing that could be improved is the ‘guided’ part. The workers were all very young, which is great, I appreciate young people wanting to work and earn money. However there was very little local knowledge and we would have really appreciated hearing a bit more information about Oxford on our trip. Especially as it was sold to us as a guided private tour. There were a few instances where we asked questions or for recommendations and the answer was ‘there’s really not a lot to do around here’. Maybe the workers could be given a little bit of information and facts to read up on so they are prepared to answer questions or give information rather than just a relatively silent 30 minute punt.
Nice boat and setting, but we were expecting some history from the guide, and we got very little of that.
Thank you for your feedback, and we’re very sorry to hear that the tour did not meet your expectations. We aim to provide a strong balance of historical knowledge and engaging storytelling, and all of our guides are local students or alumni who are trained to deliver accurate and insightful content. It’s disappointing to hear that this wasn’t your experience on this occasion. We truly value feedback like yours, as it helps us improve. If you’d be willing, please do email us at info@alumni.tours with a few more details about your tour, so we can look into this further and take appropriate steps to ensure a better experience in the future. Thank you again for bringing this to our attention.
A delightful experience with a very knowledgeable tender with good historyin the business. Friendly staff all around.
Alfie was our captain. He was kind and warm to interact with. He gave us a brief history of the tour and the place. He also drove past some ducks which made my daughter very happy.
The man who was presented as an “expert guide” had very little studied knowledge of Orkney and Kirkwell. He did not speak of anything historic or seem to have many facts of interest. This was a private tour yet he arrived to say we had to come back to the pier in a few hours to pick up a second couple. However, his vehicle was very small so he proceeded to drive us back to HIS HOME to trade out his car for a van!! Why didn’t he have this vehicle in the beginning? Why was he given or why did he elect to take the second couple at the disadvantage of us as customers? We watched other private and group guides during the day and were greatly disappointed that our guide was woefully incompetent in this regard. He was a very sweet, kind and courteous “guy” but he should not be sent out as an expert “guide”! We had to buy guides, and sneak closer to other guides and groups to get a better understanding of each stop. We used Wikipedia and Google Scan because our guide simply did not seem to know the types of historical facts we had hoped to learn. This was an expensive tour and a shameful waste of money! This poor man was probably thinking he could get by with his limited knowledge except we were painfully aware from the first moment we sat in his vehicle!
I truly appreciate the time and effort you put into writing this review, and I also want to express our sympathy for your situation. It is always unfortunate when a trip is spoiled by someone else’s mistakes. That said, I believe this review may have been intended for a different tour, as our guides are punters in Oxford and specialise in Oxford’s history, not Orkney. May I kindly ask you to remove this review here and place it with the correct tour?
Very disappointed. The boat was old , dirty , the cushions were tatty and dirty. The punter did not engage. Compare this to Cambridge punting who have new comfortable and are much more welcoming . A real shame ..
We are very sorry to hear that your experience did not meet expectations. Cleanliness, comfort, and an engaging punter are important to us, and it is disappointing to learn that we fell short. Your feedback will be shared with our team so we can make the necessary improvements. We appreciate your comments and hope to have the chance to provide a better experience in the future. If you would like to discuss this further, please contact us at info@alumni.tours
Such a lovely and peaceful experience! It’s a must-do activity in Oxford to take in the sights and nature. Our guide, Enzo, was kind, friendly and knowledgable. Would do this activity again!
