In Argentina, construction is underway on Wamani — a private ranch-style refuge for the wealthiest, designed to protect them in the event of global catastrophes or a Third World War. The complex, which is three times the size of Paris, is set to combine accommodation, spas and runways with self-sufficient energy and food production.
Briefly about the main points
- Wamani was conceived as a private refuge during a major global crisis.
- The complex’s website states that it covers 32,000 hectares and has a private runway.
- The plan includes solar power generation, livestock farming and growing crops on the farm itself.
- The use of solar power to run local networks and language models is still only being explored.
A remote ranch in the Uko Valley
The estate is situated in the department of San Carlos, south-west of Pareditas in the Uco Valley. Its website states that it covers an area of 32,000 hectares, is approximately a three-hour drive from Mendoza, with a challenging final stretch along a dirt track, and features a private airstrip.
In March 2024, an Argentine-Spanish entrepreneur Martin Warsawski He reported that a group of six friends had bought the ranch in October 2023. At the time, he put the area at 24,000 hectares and spoke of building residences for themselves and businesspeople from various countries.
Wamani is also promoted as a welcoming mountain retreat offering accommodation, horse riding trails, trekking, expeditions and 4×4 tours.
Self-sufficiency and major crisis scenarios
The concept involves the use of solar energy, livestock farming and growing their own crops. The team is also looking into running language models on computers powered by solar panels and setting up a local network in the event of a collapse of the global internet infrastructure.
Warsawski explained that the choice of location was due to its distance from nuclear powers, its proximity to Patagonia’s oil reserves and the fertile lands of Mendoza. He stated that he and his wife would set off for Argentina the following day if China were to attack Taiwan or Russia will start a war against the Baltic states. This is the entrepreneur’s personal assessment, not an independent threat assessment.
Similar private crisis shelters have also been reported in New Zealand and Hawaii. The manufacturer, SAFE, has confirmed the construction in New Zealand of an underground shelter for a single client or a family group, without naming the client or the location. WIRED reported that the complex Mark Zuckerberg on Kauai has an underground shelter, water supply systems and other infrastructure.
