Originally Posted by
escog
If you want to do the Western Breach, then I'd suggest you be sure about the company you pick. I had originally reserved a trip via the Western Breach, but months before I was to go there was an accident on the mountain involving rockfall and they had to close the route. This was back in 2006. So, this route does involve more risk than the other ones.
While it's certainly easy to overpay an outfitter for a trip up Kilimanjaro, I have no regrets with going with a higher end company. For something like the Western Breach, I was very risk averse in terms of choosing an outfitter. It's not like going up the coca cola route, which is what the vast majority of trekkers do.
Who'd you end up doing the WB with? Also, what price point were you looking at for 'higher end' and who else did you consider (DETASA?)?
Any tips what to look for in terms of being sure about the company on the WB? I've done a lot of research on DETASA and they appeal to me because they have really amazing reviews on the internet, they seem to have all the safety equipment that the $5000 climbs offer, and they mainly do the WB route. I'm a very risk averse person too, and don't like the idea of putting my life in the hands of strangers.