Chemal sits on the Katun River in the Altai Republic, a village of about three thousand people spread along the water, with the hills closing in on both sides and the river running milky green through the middle. Elekmonar is the closest neighbour, and the only real choice for supplies is here, which is useful to remember: fill the tank in Chemal or earlier before heading further up the valley.
The riding in this area is among the most pleasant in the Altai. The road follows the Katun upstream, with long open bends and views across the water to forested slopes, and as you continue toward Oroktoy the valley narrows, the surface becomes more patchy and the traffic thins. This is a ride for steady speed and frequent stops, because there is so much to look at. The best seasons are late spring, when the slopes turn green, and September, when larch needles go gold. Midsummer brings tourist traffic, and the afternoons can be hot.
Chemal is famous for a tiny rocky island in the Katun called Patmos, reached by a footbridge that hangs over the water, and for the small church of John the Baptist that stands on it. Pilgrims and tourists walk across, and the view from the island up and down the river is the postcard picture of the region. A hydroelectric station was built on the river here in the mid-twentieth century.
The valley is also a place of old rock art and burial mounds, and the Altai as a whole is a UNESCO listed area for its natural diversity. Nearby, the Katun cuts through limestone and granite, forming rapids and pools, and the forests hold cedar, pine, birch and larch. Maral deer, bears and sables live in the surrounding hills, though you are far more likely to meet a cow standing in the road than anything wild.
Chemal has plenty of guesthouses, cafes selling grilled fish, honey and local herbal tea, and small shops. Prices rise in summer. The area can see rain at short notice, and gravel washes onto the road after heavy storms, so ride with care on the bends beyond the village.