Billionaires turn to Argentina as safe haven for doomsday scenarios

In the foothills of the Andes Mountains, across a rugged expanse roughly five times the size of Manhattan, a group of entrepreneurs is developing what they see as a potential refuge in the event of global catastrophe.

Over the past two years, a cluster of prefabricated homes, geodesic domes and a small airstrip has been built on the remote Wamani ranch in western Argentina, located about an hour by dirt road from the nearest village. The site lies far from the world’s major nuclear powers, while remaining close to Patagonia’s energy resources and the fertile plains surrounding Mendoza, Financial Times writes.

The project is led by Martín Varsavsky, who describes Wamani as his “best guess” at a location capable of surviving a global conflict.

“We’re already in World War Three, the battle lines are already drawn,” Varsavsky said in a phone interview from San Francisco, where he was on a business trip. He characterised the conflict as one pitting Russia, China, North Korea and Iran against “most of the rest” of the world.

“It just makes sense to have a refuge,” he added.

Varsavsky is among a growing number of ultra-wealthy individuals preparing for scenarios such as nuclear war, climate disaster or systemic economic collapse. Figures including Peter Thiel, who has acquired land in New Zealand, Mark Zuckerberg, who has built a shelter beneath his Hawaii ranch, and Reid Hoffman, who has said that roughly half of Silicon Valley billionaires have some form of “apocalypse insurance”, reflect a broader trend.

However, the 66-year-old entrepreneur envisions a wider strategy. He argues that “the whole of Argentina and the Southern Cone region” could sustain “complex societies” in the aftermath of nuclear war, citing geographical distance from likely missile targets and radiation zones, alongside strong agricultural and energy capacity.

“My idea isn’t just to have little groups locked up in bunkers,” Varsavsky said.

With an estimated fortune of $700 million, according to Forbes, built through ventures spanning telecommunications, internet services, renewable energy, fertility and biotechnology, Varsavsky is also exploring the concept through fiction. He is writing a novel depicting life at Wamani after a nuclear conflict devastates much of the United States, Europe and Asia.

In a draft, a protagonist named “Martín Varsavsky” flees Madrid with his family after detecting unusual naval movements via satellite platforms. Upon arrival at Wamani, they put stranded — and newly impoverished — American wine tourists to work on the ranch.

Varsavsky acquired the property in December 2023, shortly after the election of Javier Milei, alongside five Argentine and American co-investors. Among them are Alec Oxenford, who also serves as Argentina’s ambassador to Washington, and Daniel Lubetzky.

The group aims to make the ranch self-sufficient. Buildings are equipped with solar panels, and there are plans to introduce cattle across the 32,000-hectare property, which includes a 5,000-metre peak and several surrounding mountains. The investors are also considering acquiring additional land nearby for crop production.

They are studying whether large language models could be stored on solar-powered systems to “create your own limited internet” in the event of a collapse of global servers, Varsavsky said.

Varsavsky holds a 50% stake in Wamani, with the remaining shares divided among the five partners. Together, they have invested nearly $10 million to date, with new structures being added approximately every four months. The ranch is currently used for group retreats, and the owners are considering listing it on short-term rental platforms such as Airbnb to support its financial sustainability.

By Tamilla Hasanova