Cambridge Walking Tour & Punting: Student-Led College Tour
See Cambridge from the water after walking its college grounds.
This Cambridge tour pairs a 90-minute student-or graduate-led walking tour of the university colleges with a 45-minute chauffeured punting trip down the River Cam, all in one afternoon. Your guide meets you outside King's College and wears royal blue with the Alumni Tours symbol. You can add a self-guided visit to King's College Chapel when booking. The walking section covers Trinity College, Queens' College, the Mathematical Bridge, the Bridge of Sighs and other landmarks. The punt then passes eight colleges and nine bridges from the water. Tours run in English, Spanish or Mandarin.
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Step-by-step itinerary
- Queens' College10m
- King's College Chapel45m
- Mathematical Bridgepassing by
- Bridge of Sighspassing by
Cambridge walking and punting tour
- Meet Alumni Guide outside King's College
- Learn about the famous clock design
- Visit The Eagle pub with historic stories
- Discover the scientific history site
- Hear history of Corpus Christi College
- Learn myths of Queens' College and bridge
- Walk along College Backs by King's College
- Hear rivalry stories of Trinity and St John's
- Admire St John's College architecture
- Optional self-guided visit to King's College Chapel
- Hear about Cambridge traditions and graduation
- Take a break before punting tour
- Board punt at Scudamore's Mill Lane
- View Mathematical Bridge from the punt
- Punt along River Cam past colleges and bridges
- Admire King's College and Gibbs Building from river
- Hear about second-oldest college accepting women
- Learn history of Trinity College from punt
- See Bridge of Sighs, Queen Victoria's favorite spot
- Complete tour at Magdalene College and return
The experience
You meet your student or graduate guide outside King's College on King's Parade, identifiable by royal blue clothing and the Alumni Tours heraldic symbol. The 90-minute walk moves through the college grounds and along the College Backs, stopping at Trinity College (home to famous alumni and a noted rivalry with St John's), Queens' College (where your guide explains the name and the myths around the nearby Mathematical Bridge), and Corpus Christi College. You'll pass The Eagle pub, a 400-year-old haunt of WWII airmen and Cavendish Laboratory scientists, and hear about the college that put Cambridge on the map of the scientific world. The guide points out architectural details, like the famous clock design, that an uninformed observer would miss, and shares stories about graduation ceremonies and the public announcement of grades at Cambridge.
After the walking section, you have a short break before heading to Scudamore's Mill Lane punting station. If you've booked King's College Chapel access, you'll visit it on your own after the walk ends (the chapel visit is self-guided, and you can leave whenever you choose). The punting begins either two hours after the walking tour started (if you skipped the chapel) or three hours after (if you included it). A student chauffeur poles you along the River Cam for 45 minutes, passing eight colleges and nine bridges. You'll see the Mathematical Bridge, the Bridge of Sighs (said to be a favorite spot of Queen Victoria), and views of King's College and the Gibbs Building from the water. The guide shares the history of each landmark: Darwin's college connections, the architecture of Trinity, which colleges were first to accept women undergraduates, and the traditions of Magdalene, one of the most traditional colleges.
The tour takes place outdoors, so come prepared for weather. You'll walk for 90 minutes and then sit in a punt, so the physical demand is moderate. The operator notes it's suitable for all fitness levels but not recommended for travelers who cannot complete a 90-minute walk. Wheelchair users can be accommodated on the punt if they can communicate how to assist, or if they have a carer with them. Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller. The guide speaks English, Spanish or Mandarin depending on which option you book. King's College Chapel entry must be selected at checkout. It cannot be added during the tour.
What’s included
- A Cambridge University student or graduate guide leading the 90-minute walk.
- entry to college gardens where accessible.
- a 45-minute chauffeured punt along the River Cam passing eight colleges and nine bridges.
- insight into the Oxbridge application process and student life at an elite university.
- King's College Chapel entry (when you select this option at checkout).
Options for this experience
4 optionsBefore you book
Prices and times updated yesterday
Operated by Cambridge Alumni Tours
Is this one for you?Book the English, Spanish or Mandarin option based on the language you're most comfortable with. The guide speaks only that language throughout. If you want to see inside King's College Chapel, add it at checkout. It's a self-guided visit that fits between the walking tour and the punt, so you don't need to arrange a separate trip.
Traveler reviews
Top questions
What languages is the tour guided in?
In English, with 5 departure times. In Chinese, at 13:00.
Can children come?
Yes. Ticket types: Youth (13 to 17 years); Child (3 to 12 years); Infant (under 3): free.
What happens if it rains?
It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund. Free cancellation up to 24 h before the start.
What do you actually see on the walking part of the Cambridge tour?
The walking tour covers Trinity College, Queens' College, Corpus Christi College, the Mathematical Bridge, the Bridge of Sighs, King's College, St John's College and Magdalene College, plus The Eagle pub and the College Backs. Your student guide explains the history and architecture of each, and shares stories about famous alumni, student life and Cambridge traditions.
Can I visit King's College Chapel on this tour?
King's College Chapel is available as an optional add-on when you book. It is a self-guided visit that happens after the 90-minute walking tour ends, before you head to the punting station. You must select this option at checkout. It cannot be purchased during the tour.
What happens during the punting part?
After the walking tour and a short break, a student chauffeur poles you along the River Cam for 45 minutes, passing eight colleges and nine bridges. You see King's College, Trinity College, the Mathematical Bridge and the Bridge of Sighs from the water, and hear stories about each landmark and the colleges' histories.
How long is the whole experience?
The walking tour is 90 minutes, followed by a short break, then a 45-minute punt. If you add King's College Chapel, the chapel visit happens during the break, so the total time from start to finish is roughly three hours. If you skip the chapel, it's closer to two and a half hours.
Is this tour accessible for wheelchair users?
The walking section is outdoors on college grounds. The punting station can accommodate wheelchair users if they can communicate how to assist, or if they have a carer with them. Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller.
Cambridge Walking Tour & Punting: Student-Led College Tour
2h 45m–3h 45m · EN · ES +1
from £ 55 per person
4.74787 reviewsVerified traveler reviews via our booking provider