Innumerous caves of various categories are concentrated on the territory of the Republic of Khakassia. Some require little more than a torch to be explored, while others require an entire arsenal of specialized equipment. The region “richest in caves” is Shirinsky. Here, you’ll find the Arkheologicheskaya, or Archaeological Cave, within which the remains of an encampment of ancient man were found. It’s also home to one of the largest bat populations. Several kilometers away lies the Pandora’s Box Cave. Just 30 years ago it was little more than a small grotto, but in 1981 pot-holers discovered a new corridor, and beyond that a vast systems of passages stretching 18 kilometers and to a depth of 182 meters. Host Andrei Ivanov descended into the Sindebobel Cav, admired the beautiful vaulted ceilings of the underground rooms and got to grips with the complex terminology of pot-holing or «speleology».