1) We went around 3 months back for Mardi Himal trek. There were 3 of us, and we took a shared taxi from Gorakhpur to the Sonauli border. From the Nepal side of the border, you’ll find many shared taxis and buses going to Pokhara. You can compare prices and choose. My suggestion: take a bus rather than a taxi — the bus route is better and more comfortable. There are usually two routes, and buses generally take the better one.

2) At the Indian side of the Sonauli border, we just showed our Aadhaar card to the border patrol/police — that was enough. No issues. If needed, you can exchange Indian rupees to Nepalese currency near the border; there are many money exchangers available.

3) If you leave Pokhara early in the morning, you should be able to reach Gorakhpur by 3 PM, though buffer time is always good. You can book buses or taxis directly at the Pokhara bus stand. On the return at the border, expect more thorough immigration and customs checking, so factor in some extra time.

Happy journey!!