Chemal is a unique resort area in Altai. The optimal combination of beauty and accessibility made Chemal the main tourist center of the republic. Chemal owes great popularity not only to high mountains, beautiful rivers and clean air. A special location of the mountains gives the valley a mild climate, temperate winters and warm summers.

Not far from the island of Patmos on Katun there is a narrow area where water swiftly rushes between steep rocky shores. This place is called the Sartakpai Gate (or Katun Gate). One ancient legend has it that . the mighty giant hero Sartakpai lived in Altai. He heard the cry of the rivers, which were clamped by the mountains and could not flow freely to the sea, and decided to help. He began to draw a finger in the land of the river channels, and instructed his son Aduchi-Mergen to break through the road for Katun. But his son lacked the strength to break through the rocks, so at times the river made steep bends. At Mount Sogondu-Tuu, it was especially steep. Checking the work of his son, Sartakpai frowned and shook his head. He pulled his mighty bow and launched an arrow, which split Mount Sogondu-Tuu in two. Since then, there is a passage between the rocks, straight, like a flight of an arrow. It is called the Sartakpai Gate. You will see this andmany other highlights on your panoramic 30 minutes flight today.