The monastery caters for full time monks and also practicing laymen but it is not for the faint hearted. There’s no electricity, they haven’t even got Sky Sports or UK Gold to watch upon your arrival. And don’t expect no champagne Jacuzzi neither.

This hell on earth was founded by Lama Sanyo Tenzin Doksit (real name Michail Sannikov) in May 1995. He’s reported to be a bit of an odd fella, but I guess I didn’t need to tell you that. Here he is looking enlightened:

In the depths of the Russian winter the place is pretty much inaccessible thanks to a megaton of snow, there’s no leaving to nip to the shops. They have to be completely self sufficient so if you’re there in late autumn, you’re in for the long haul with no options.

The monastery’s name and geographical position were given to Lama Sanyo by his tutor Pemah Jung before he died in 2007. I get the feeling that old Pemah was having a bit of a laugh at Sanyo’s expense. I mean, yeah, you certainly get solitude, and as these pictures show you there’s defo some pretty awesome views to be had, but really?

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