Known as only one bridge that connects Uzbekistan and Afghanistan, Friendship Bridge goes through the Amu Darya River. This rail and road bridge connects Termez of Surxondaryo region of Uzbekistan and Hayraton, the Afghan port in the north of Balkh province of Afghanistan.
Built under the supervision of the Russian tsarist army General M. Annenkov in May 1888, Friendship Bridge was the first wooden bridge which is now one of the most significant freight routes into the country.
With a length of 816 meters and width of 15 metres, Friendship Bridge is made of series of steel truss spans. The single railway track runs down the middle of the road, and the bridge also carries an oil pipeline. The construction cost of the bridge was 34 million rubbles and was underway by September 1980.
After an agreement between the Afghan and Soviet authorities in 1982, an official opening ceremony of the bridge was held on 12 May 1982.
At that time, the bridge was announced as the largest feat of engineering and was strengthened with wooden piles. But due to river rapid flow and sandy bottom, the bridge began to collapse and unserviceable.
The modernisation of Friendship Bridge In Termez started in 1902. The Russian government provided 5 million rubbles for bridge construction and the construction was supervised by S. Olshevsky,
On the heat of cold war, the Russian troops were withdrawn through this bridge after defeated against Afghan fighters supported by USA 12 years ago. When the war ends in late 90s, Taliban captured the northern provinces of Afghanistan which results into the renaming of the bridge to “Khayraton”. Uzbekistan closed the bridge on 24 May 1997, to protect the country for any danger from Afghanistan.
The Friendship Bridge reopened in October 2001, because of the international pressure put on Uzbekistan as US intervened in Afghanistan.
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There is nothing as per law in Uzbek that a woman must wear, so you can bring your clothes that you love to wear. However, the country has its own culture and we believe you won’t like to offend it. So, we recommend packing some light shirts, t-shirts, jeans and long-sleeved dresses covering knees. You need to wear a scarf or something that covers your head while entering a mosque. You can pack some swim-dress to wear near your pool at your hotel.
Well, it’s really up to you. Bring as much as you want to spend in Uzbekistan. The country is not much expensive but most for paying most of the things you will need cash. Cards are not much accepted here. You can exchange your money at the airport or in any hotel or banks of Uzbekistan (both in private & govt. bank). Keep in mind that you need to pay tips in restaurants and to porters (not mandatory, but expected as it’s almost a custom to tip).
No, drinking tap water isn’t considered safe in Uzbekistan. We highly recommend using bottled water while you are in Uzbekistan. Also, make sure to eat clean and well-cooked food. If you are visiting Uzbek inn hot time make sure to keep big water bottles as you will feel thirsty due to the hot climate especially in the day time.
Well, the answer is No. Uzbekistan is not only a magical country with a rich history and spectacular natural beauty but also a very friendly country to visit. If you are afraid of if it is safe, then let us tell you even the country is safe for solo woman travelers. Uzbek people are warm and friendly. They will easily welcome you as their guest. Choose a reliable tour operator and explore the best of the country without any fear.
Of course, you can avail alcohol in Uzbekistan. It is kind of part of their life. Alcohol is taken by many Uzbek people especially, the Russians. Soviet people introduced Vodka and other alcoholic drinks that are now a part of their life. However, some very strict Muslims don’t prefer drinking. However, it is allowed and legal in the country.
Uzbekistan is famous for its ancient cities like Samarkand, Bukhara, Khiva, Shakhrisabz, Termez, and Tashkent that are explained in many historical stories. These places have some stunning old Islamic architecture buildings that make it famous. As well, the natural beauty, mountains, and rich history of the country usually fascinate its travelers.
Uzbek people eat many types of food in their daily life. The dishes of Uzbekistan are delicious. Mostly they eat and drink soups, meat dishes, floury dishes, bread, milk, and oriental sweets. They share their culinary style mostly with Turkic people. Mostly they have a whole meal in one pot. You can try some local cuisine during your visit to Uzbekistan like; Plov, Shashlik, Lagman Soup, Shurpa, Dimlama, Chuchvara, Samsa, and more.
While visiting to Uzbek you are recommended to have the following vaccination-
Hepatitis A
Hepatitis B
Typhoid
Rabies
Meningitis
Polio
Measles
Mumps
Rubella
The country is best to visit at any time except the summer season (July & August). During these 2 months, the country is at its highest temperature that goes up to 40-degree Celsius. However, spring and autumn are a great time to visit Uzbek i.e. from April to May and September to early November. During this period the country remains dry with a clear sky and cool temp.
The tropical climate of the country is great for malaria mosquitoes; hence once malaria was the worst health threat in Uzbekistan. To protect people from falling ill in malaria the govt. of Uzbek has taken various steps and in 2010 the country became malaria-free. Now it has won the WHO certificate as a malaria-free country. Hence, you can stay stress-free about malaria.
In July 2018, Uzbekistan started an E-visa facility and there are 76 nationalists can apply for a visa online. You can go to the official E-visa site, and apply for your e-visa by filling a form online. The total cost is 20USD. It takes 2 to 3 working days for processing your visa and then you can get a confirmation in your mail. The payment you can do only in the working hours. If you are not from a country where you can go for e-visa, then you can go with the traditional way. You can book it from the embassy.
There are 21 countries that enjoy visa free entry to Uzbekistan. Here is the cost for Uzbekistan-
Cost for 30-days single-entry or multiple-entry visa- US$60 to US$100 for most nationalities
Cost for 30-days single-entry or multiple-entry visa - $160 for US nationalities
Additional entry cost- $10Per entry