I'm organizing a Himalayan climbing trip for 2017. We are interested in climbing Island Peak then Ama Dablam. We plan to use porters to get our gear to base camps, but climb unguided. I've spent a good amount of time researching this, and I've found permit application forms, general rules, etc. I would like to talk to someone who has done this, or something similar, before. How long does it take to get the permits? Are there any fees/complications that I should know about? Bribes? Recommendations for getting porters in Lukla. Any help would be greatly appreciated.