
Oxford Scholars and Secrets Self Guided Tour with App
Traveler rating
3.8/5
Based on 12 traveler reviews. Ratings and reviews provided by Viator and Tripadvisor.
Quick answer
Is Oxford Scholars and Secrets Self Guided Tour with App worth booking?
Oxford Scholars and Secrets Self Guided Tour with App is a 2-hour experience in Oxford, United Kingdom, from $9 per person. It scores 56 out of 100 on the Outty Ranking, which we label “Worth a Look”, based on a 3.8/5 rating across 12 reviews. Cancellation is free up to 24 hours before the start time. Same-day spots are currently showing.
- Outty Ranking
- 56 / 100
- Rating
- 3.8/5 (12)
- Duration
- 2 hours
- From
- $9 per person
Did you know Oxford’s Great Tom bell chimes 101 times every night—and the university runs 5 minutes behind the rest of England? Discover the stories behind Oxford’s most iconic landmarks on this comprehensive 18-stop self-guided audio walking tour. From Christ Church’s Harry Potter connections to the hidden Narnia door, from a 14th-century rebel tavern to the world’s oldest public museum – this tour covers more ground than most guided walks, at a fraction of the price. Crafted with insights from Oxford students, the tour is available in 9 languages. Unlike fixed-time group tours, you control the pace. Start anytime, pause to explore colleges and museums, grab lunch at the Covered Market, or linger over a pint at the Turf Tavern – your tour waits for you. Over 1000 customers have taken this tour and a full refund guarantee means you can book with confidence
What you get
About this experience
Did you know Oxford’s Great Tom bell chimes 101 times every night—and the university runs 5 minutes behind the rest of England? Discover the stories behind Oxford’s most iconic landmarks on this comprehensive 18-stop self-guided audio walking tour. From Christ Church’s Harry Potter connections to the hidden Narnia door, from a 14th-century rebel tavern to the world’s oldest public museum – this tour covers more ground than most guided walks, at a fraction of the price. Crafted with insights from Oxford students, the tour is available in 9 languages. Unlike fixed-time group tours, you control the pace. Start anytime, pause to explore colleges and museums, grab lunch at the Covered Market, or linger over a pint at the Turf Tavern – your tour waits for you. Over 1000 customers have taken this tour and a full refund guarantee means you can book with confidence
What's included
Included
- 100% Satisfaction Guarantee: If you don’t love the tour, write to us for a full refund.
- Audio and written guide included
- Offline access to the tour (no internet connection needed) once tour is downloaded
- Images to identify stops and in app interactive map for navigation
- 1-year access on iOS & Android. Listen to the tour anytime, as many times as you like
- Check or search your inbox for an email from “Tourific” with tour access instructions.
Not included
- Any physical devices or headphones
- Human tour guide at location
- Entry to colleges
What you'll see and do
Christ Church
Discover the college that inspired Harry Potter’s Great Hall, and where Great Tom tolls 101 times each night at 9:05 PM
Pass by without stopping
Radcliffe Camera
Take photos at Christopher Wren’s first masterpiece, where Einstein and Tolkien received honorary degrees
Pass by without stopping
Bodleian Library
Admire the library from the outside and discover fun facts like the oath you need to take to enter the library
Pass by without stopping
Sheldonian Theatre
Pause at yet another iconic Oxford building and discover more about its architecture and heritage
Pass by without stopping
Oxford Covered Market
Take a break to explore the covered market and pick up souvenirs or grab a bite to eat
20 minutes here
Ashmolean Museum of Art and Archaeology
Pause at the world's first public museum — home to Guy Fawkes' actual lantern, Egyptian mummies, and a Van Gogh, all for free
30 minutes here
The Eagle& Child
End in front of a historic pub where literary legends used to gather
Pass by without stopping
University Church of St. Mary the Virgin
See the spot that hosted the trial of the Oxford Martyrs and a nearby door that inspired parts of Narnia!
10 minutes here
New College
Hear the story behind the not-so-new New college
Pass by without stopping
Pitt Rivers Museum
Take an optional detour to two museums with one entrance: from Darwin's evolution debate to a dimly-lit labyrinth of shrunken heads and ancient artifacts
30 minutes here
Tucked behind the city wall, find the secret pub where presidents, movie stars, and Nobel laureates have been sneaking off to for centuries
Pass by without stopping
Bridge of Sighs
Puase for photos in front of Oxford's most photographed bridge — named after its Venetian twin
10 minutes here
Where it starts and ends
Meeting point
Oxford
This is a self-guided audio tour on the "Tourific self-guided tours" app. To activate the tour, check your email for instructions from Tourific or your booking platform sent right after booking. Can’t find it? Search for “Tourific” in your email inbox and spam folder. OR contact us via support.
Hotel pickup
No pickup: everyone meets at the start point.
Ends at
Returns to the starting point
Before you book
- Cancellation
- For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
- Languages
- de, ru, pt, en, it, pl, fr, nl, es
- Ticket
- Mobile Only
- Runs on
- Every day
- Group size
- Up to 15 travelers per booking
- Operated by
- Tourific
Know before you go
- Service animals allowed
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
- The total tour duration includes the time spent listening to information at the stop and time required to walk through all the stops.
Photos






What travelers are saying
Outty’s summary of the themes that recur across 12 traveler reviews. Written by us, not quoted from reviewers.
The guide
4 mentionsTravelers single out the guide as the reason the experience works.
Knowledge and storytelling
3 mentionsReviewers describe the commentary as informative rather than scripted.
Organization
2 mentionsPickup, timing, and logistics are described as running smoothly.
Pace and timing
2 mentionsSeveral reviewers comment on how the schedule is paced.
Traveler reviews
12 verified traveler reviews for Oxford Scholars and Secrets Self Guided Tour with App. Ratings and reviews provided by Viator and Tripadvisor.
Great Oxford self-guided tour
I liked the self guided tour. It guided us to main sites with some background in each. It was an easy and organised way of seeing Oxford
Response from the operator: Thank you for your feedback. We're glad the tour helped make your visit enjoyable and easy to navigate.
via Tripadvisor
Oxford audio tour
Tour was just what we wanted except for One thing. She is very clear that you cannot go into the colleges but that doesn’t mean the buildings only. It also means the courtyards/grassy areas. Each college charges about £10 to enter which is more than we paid for the whole tour. Maybe other people know this; we didn’t.
Response from the operator: Thank you for your helpful feedback! We’re glad you enjoyed the tour overall. We appreciate your suggestion about clarifying access restrictions and entrance fees for the colleges, and we’ll work on making this clearer for future visitors.
via Tripadvisor
Terrible app ruins tour
This might be an OK tour if they reworked the app to make it even slightly user-friendly. The purchase process is absurdly complex -- requiring multiple verification codes to be sent (why? On a £5 purchase?) Finally downloaded, it's awful -- keeps cutting out; very hard to get it back (MORE codes must be sent). On the rare occasions we heard any comments, they seemed like they might be interesting. Also, no directions are offered for movement from one attraction stop to the next. So you need to run Google Maps beside it. It wins the prize as the worst walking tour app I've ever tried. We abandoned it, after 4 of 18 stops, feeling "well, we got scammed."
Response from the operator: Thank you for taking the time to share your experience, and I’m very sorry to hear that the app did not meet your expectations. We’re actively working on a much-improved version, which will be released this month with easier access, and better navigation between stops. Your feedback is invaluable in helping us address these issues. We absolutely want to make this right for you—please email us at support@tourific.org (as we cannot see the booking ID from this review alone) and we’ll issue you a full refund
via Tripadvisor
Lovely way to spend an afternoon
Super tour that took us to the highlights of Oxford with just enough explanation to keep a family with teens entertained.
Response from the operator: Thank you for taking the time to leave us a review! We really appreciate it and we are glad that you enjoyed the tour. We hope to guide you again in a different location in the future. Best regards, The Tourific team
via Tripadvisor
This experience was nice...
This experience was nice if youre a bit short on time or want to supplement other experiences. We got the most use out of the map that had the locations marked.
Response from the operator: Thank you for taking the time to leave a review. We're glad the map feature was helpful and that the tour fit well into your plans. Since you rated it 3 stars, we’d really appreciate hearing what we could have done better to improve your experience. Your feedback helps us make future tours even better. Best regards, The Tourific Team
via Viator
Good to know
- Duration
- 2 hours
- Free cancellation
- Up to 24h before
- Minimum age to book
- All ages
- Availability
- Bookable today
- Runs on
- Every day
- Hotel pickup
- No pickup, meet at start point
- Booked in 30 days
- 4
- Verdict
- Worth a Look
Who runs this experience
Operated by Tourific, who run 78 experiences we rank across 70 cities, with an average Outty Ranking of 60.1.
See everything Tourific runsWhy this scores 56
The Outty Ranking is a weighted composite. Here is how this experience performed on each component.
Oxford Scholars and Secrets Self Guided Tour with App: questions travelers ask
Practical detail on this experience, plus the wider planning questions for Oxford.
How much does Oxford Scholars and Secrets Self Guided Tour with App cost?
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Prices start at $9 per person. The final price depends on the date, the time slot and the number of travelers, and peak weekends in Oxford usually price higher than midweek mornings. Live pricing and remaining availability are confirmed on the booking screen before you pay.
How long does Oxford Scholars and Secrets Self Guided Tour with App take?
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Plan for about 2 hours from start to finish, not counting travel to the meeting point. Most travelers leave another 30 minutes on either side so the rest of the day in Oxford is not rushed.
Is Oxford Scholars and Secrets Self Guided Tour with App worth it?
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It holds an Outty Ranking of 56 out of 100, which we label "Worth a Look". That score blends traveler sentiment (3.8/5 across 12 reviews), the depth of that review evidence, recent booking momentum, value for money against comparable last minute in Oxford, and how flexible the cancellation terms are.
Can I cancel or reschedule Oxford Scholars and Secrets Self Guided Tour with App?
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Yes. Cancel free up to 24 hours before the start time for a full refund. Inside that window the booking is non-refundable, and no-shows are not refunded.
Is Oxford Scholars and Secrets Self Guided Tour with App suitable for kids and families?
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Yes, all ages are welcome. Families should still weigh the 2-hour running time, and strollers are easier on the earlier, quieter departures.
How far in advance should I book Oxford Scholars and Secrets Self Guided Tour with App?
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Around 4 people booked this in the last 30 days, so popular slots go early. Two to three weeks ahead is comfortable in shoulder season, while summer weekends and holidays in Oxford can sell out a month out. Same-day spots do open up when other travelers cancel, so it is worth checking if you are already in town.
What should I bring or wear?
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Bring photo ID, your booking confirmation on your phone, a refillable water bottle and comfortable shoes. Dress for the weather in Oxford and add a light layer if any part of the 2-hour experience runs outdoors or after sunset.
Where does Oxford Scholars and Secrets Self Guided Tour with App start and how do I get there?
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The exact meeting point and directions are on your voucher once you book, and they sit in central Oxford within reach of public transport. Arrive 15 minutes early: late arrivals are treated as no-shows by most operators.
What are the best things to do in Oxford?
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On Outty we rank every Oxford experience on the same 0 to 100 scale, and alongside this one the highest scorers right now include Cotswolds in a Day Tour from Moreton-in-Marsh / Stratford-on-Avon, Oxford University Walking Tour With University Alumni Guide, Oxford Official University & City Tour. The city page groups everything into most popular, highest reviewed, last minute and family-friendly so you can build a day around what actually delivers.
When is the best time to visit Oxford?
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Booking patterns follow the same curve: prices and queues climb in peak weeks, while shoulder season gives you better availability on the top-ranked experiences and more room to change plans.
How many days do you need in Oxford?
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Three full days covers the headline sights without sprinting. A workable rhythm is one anchor experience each morning, such as this one, an unhurried afternoon in a single neighborhood, then a food or nightlife booking in the evening. Five days lets you add a day trip outside the city.
Do I book through Outty or through the operator?
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Outty ranks and explains the experiences, then hands you to Viator to complete the booking with the operator directly. The price is the same as booking on Viator yourself, and Outty earns an affiliate commission on the referral, which is how the rankings stay free to read.
What is included in Oxford Scholars and Secrets Self Guided Tour with App?
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Included: 100% Satisfaction Guarantee: If you don’t love the tour, write to us for a full refund; Audio and written guide included; Offline access to the tour (no internet connection needed) once tour is downloaded; Images to identify stops and in app interactive map for navigation; and 1-year access on iOS & Android. Listen to the tour anytime, as many times as you like. Not included: Any physical devices or headphones; Human tour guide at location; and Entry to colleges. Always check the voucher for the final list before you travel.
Where is the meeting point for Oxford Scholars and Secrets Self Guided Tour with App?
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This is a self-guided audio tour on the "Tourific self-guided tours" app. To activate the tour, check your email for instructions from Tourific or your booking platform sent right after booking. Hotel pickup is not included, so plan your own transport and arrive 15 minutes early.
What languages is Oxford Scholars and Secrets Self Guided Tour with App offered in?
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It is offered in German, Russian, Portuguese, English, Italian, Polish, French, Dutch and Spanish. Pick your language when choosing a date and time, as not every departure runs in every language.
Will I get instant confirmation and a mobile ticket for Oxford Scholars and Secrets Self Guided Tour with App?
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Confirmation is sent by the operator after booking, usually within 48 hours; if it is not confirmed you are not charged. Mobile tickets are accepted, so you can show the voucher on your phone.
What happens to Oxford Scholars and Secrets Self Guided Tour with App if the weather is bad?
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It generally runs rain or shine, so dress for the forecast in Oxford. Standard cancellation terms apply: free cancellation up to 24 hours before the start.
What do travelers say about Oxford Scholars and Secrets Self Guided Tour with App?
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Across 12 reviews averaging 3.8 out of 5, recurring themes include the guide, knowledge and storytelling, organization. Travelers single out the guide as the reason the experience works. One thing to know: Several reviewers comment on how the schedule is paced.
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