What
a satisfying introduction to India. The 2002 tour was a soul-stirring
blend of the spiritual and the down-to-earth, ranging from the
sidewalks (such as they are) of Calcutta to the heights of Sikkim
to the labyrinths of Varanasi. Our itinerary was a thoughtful mix
of structured activity and free time to wander. I say go, if you
have a chance. I've
been on two tours with Scott. There's nothing to worry about when
you go to India with him. He is so conscientious and prepared and
capable that all you have to do is just enjoy India!
This
was my second trip with Scott's Tours and as with the first,
an incredible adventure, due in no small part, to Scott's tour
leading. Scott's love of India comes through in his quiet enthusiasm
for each of the stops on our trip, where he knew of the local high
spots
and places of interest, especially of the spiritual sort. We
were all free to pursue whatever adventures we wanted but Scott
also
encouraged the group to convene as a group at least once a day — to
organize an outing for the next day, to show off our wares purchased
or to download yet a Scott's tour to India 2002 was a wonderful experience. Having been to India before I was somewhat prepared for both the marvel of India and how difficult it can be to travel there. Scott's preplanning, however, had taken all of this into account. The logistics of travel were smoothly carried out and I think we all felt very well taken care of. Scott's deep spiritual connection with India brought us in touch a whole other level of the wonder that is India. We were deftly shown the essence and depth of India from incredible Buddhist monasteries in Sikkim to the Ghats and temples of Varanasi. It was clear that this trip had been planned with enormous sensitivity and forethought. We did not just go to the standard tourist sites but found our way into the deeper recesses of what India is all about. Overall, I cannot recommend it more and look forward to traveling In India again with Scott (and the food was great!) — Sam Tucker, 2002 Tour. Photo: Darjeeling.
Thank
you very much for your tour. I feel that you synthesized
so much and pulled out the main attractions in the areas we visited.
I especially liked the casual pace which allowed us much more
time to know a place, even if for only a couple of days. I appreciate
the low-impact nature of the trip and felt I experienced a
good mixture of the big attractions and the everyday life of the
streets. I knew almost nothing about Hinduism
before and now I can not only pronounce those long words (thankfully
they are mostly phonetic) but can also speak a bit about the
pantheon of deities, the religious practices, the history of the
religion and how Hinduism influences the broader Indian culture.
My first
trip to India was through Scott's Sacred Tours
of India. I couldn't have asked for a better balanced or more inspired
introduction to the subcontinent. I found the itiner Also, Scott has a knack for bringing his tour participants back home free of having suffered the physical illnesses that often plague visitors traveling to third world countries. My time there was a truly eye-opening experience with almost none of the discomforts of travel I was concerned I might experience in India. Scott somehow managed to do this without making the trip too insular or overly cushy. I can't recommend Scott's Sacred Tours of India highly enough. — John Morrison, 2003 Tour. Photo: Mahabalipuram
Scott Eaton is a master at crafting an interesting tour to fascinating India. His tour will touch all your five senses and be eductional, spiritual, and fun at the same time! Do not miss out on this amazing and unique experience. The tour allowed me to travel with a small group to a place I would not have gone to alone because I completely trusted Scott's judgement and experience. Go - you will love it! — Jeffrey Neidleman, 2004 Tour. Photo: one of the fabulous rooms at Castle Mandawa.
I was very impressed with the organizational skills Scott abundantly demonstrated in our trip to Southern India. He picked a range of hotel accommodations that fit the
Scott's Tours 2006 trip to Tamal Nadu and Kerala was well-crafted, well-paced and exciting. The intinerary alternately took us to cities and country or coastal towns. The research for sites, festivals and shopping was well organized. The structure of the trip is perfect for travelers who want the hotel and transportation arrangements made but also want some independence in daily schedule. The variety of hotels allowed for an affordable price. High recommendation. — Walter Gorman, 2006 Tour. I was always interested in India but intimidated by the logistics and hassles. Having travelled mostly on my own to most of Asia and all 7 continents, I had never taken a "tour" and never want to travel in a protective "bubble". I always chose intimacy over luxury, and stimulation over familiarity. Here I am, 3 Scott's Tours later, even more in love with India, and with the richness of it's life. I honestly can't say i could put together all of the diverse adventure and education Scott weaves into one trip. It's never the same and I always want more of it. And I still get time to hang out on my own, chat up the locals, go for tea with the family, and get a blessing from the local saddhu, or, the temple elephant, for that matter. I agree with Scott that it's Sacred, but I'd add Serrendipitous, Sublime, and, even, Silly (but that's usually towards the back of the bus). And if I had to find a complaint, it's that I return with a few extra lbs. because the food is soooo good. —Don Kirchman, 2004, 2005, 2006 tours. Photo: Market, Tiruvennamalai
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I
feel so fortunate to have been able to partake in Scott's Tours
for
my first visit to India. It was truly a life-changing experience,
and the group was held solidly and compassionately by the work
and attention Scott had brought to the tour. His knowledge
of India and of navigating its unpredictable infrastructures allowed
me to feel both flexible and safe in the midst of chaos. He was
great at tracking the energy of the group, checking in, keeping
things smooth and current, and encouraging a co-creation of the
journey from all participants. In this sense we were able to
be IN the journey rather than just feel led on it — I appreciated the
contributions from each member of our group. Scott was not a "tour
leader;" rather he was an alchemist who stirred each of our
hearts with everything that is India, and allowed the journey
to reveal its jewel. I want to go again!! — Eilish Nagle 2000 Tour. Photo: Varanasi alley. 
Scott's
love of India came through in every aspect of his talk and planning
of our trip. His experience with Indian travel led him to organize
our trip well in terms of transport, hotels, transfers and important
spots to visit but too much so...... His structure of the trip and
his comfort dealing with it, allowed us all to enjoy the otherworldly
experience of Indian travel but not removed from the incredibly vibrant
life of the place. His choices of lodgings and transit options were
varied, open to change and always with an eye to group comfort and
ease. I hope to travel with Scott again. 
nother Indian incredulous narrative. Scott
runs his tours close to the ground, that is, close to the life
of India as its lived by its people. This is one of its main
attributes. Our accommodations varied from city to city but were
always adequate
and quite comfortable. Scott's eye for India as well as for his
tour guests are equally well honed. — Peter
Goetz, 2002 Tour. Photo: Darjeeling.
ary to include
a perfect mix
of well-planned daily group excursions and free-flowing
individually structured time. Scott Eaton's considerable knowledge
of India very much showed itself in his selection and sequencing
of the sites we
visited. The astounding religious heritage and living
spirituality of India were vibrantly in the forefront at every
turn. My sense of my world and myself were truly expanded on this
trip.
I
had always wanted to travel to India, but frankly was intimidated
by the thought of going on my own. When I first heard of Scott's
Tours, through word of mouth from a couple of people who had gone
on his tours, I knew Scott's way was the way I wanted to
go. It
was a great relief to know that someone had taken care of the logistics
of the trip ahead of time. I especially enjoyed the meetings
that took place before our departure. Not only did we get
to meet one another ( and what a group it turned out to be! Scott
should commended for choosing a compatible group of experienced
world travellers), but all of our questions were answered and concerns
addressed before departure. India turned out to be even more fantastic
than I expected, thanks to Scott's advance work and attention to
detail throughout the journey.
I found Scott's tour of Sacred India to be well managed and planned out. I like the amount of group time and the amount of free time. It gave me time to really focus on the one member of the group I had the most in common with. I liked the relaxed quality Scott brings to the tour and his sense of deep respect for India, the traditions and its people. This inspired me and acted as a good example of how to behave in the country. I liked eating meals together and having one person handle the money since meals were so cheap and it would be too much effort to be splitting the bill each night 7 ways; it made things very simple. All in all a very success time. It made we want to see more of India next year. — Alan Oakley (professional tour guide), 2005 Tour. Photo: Alan (on the left) at the Golden Temple in Amritsar. 
pocketbook and showed the diversity of Indian hospitality--it fit my philosophy of travel completely. — David Maxim, 2006 Tour. Photo: Walter and David at temple in Dharasuram.
local people. We were never rushed from one place to another so we could really experience each destination. And Scott's knowledge of India and its culture was very helpful in understanding the places we visited and the rituals in which we participated. The trip was life changing for me and I'd love to do every minute of it all over again tomorrow. Thank you, Scott! —Linda Mantel , 2006 Tour. Photo: at a village outside Chidambaram.
And if you can't get to know the locals, well, what's the point?