Photo by Martín Varsavsky Waisman-Diamond
The 32,000-hectare Wamani Ranch is located in the province of Mendoza, at the foot of the Andes. It is about an hour’s drive on dirt roads from the nearest town. Over the past two years, prefabricated houses, geodesic domes, and a runway have been built there, according to the Financial Times.
The project is led by Argentine-Spanish IT entrepreneur Martin Varsavsky. Five wealthy partners from Argentina and the U.S. have joined him in purchasing the ranch. Among them are billionaire Dan Lubetzki, founder of the snack manufacturer Kind, and tech entrepreneur Alec Oxenford, who currently serves as Argentina’s ambassador to the U.S. Varsavsky owns half of the project; the remaining stake is divided among his partners. According to him, nearly $10 million has already been invested in Wamani.
Varsavski himself, whose fortune Forbes estimates at approximately $700 million, hopes to turn Wamani into a place that can function with minimal dependence on the outside world.
Solar panels are being installed on the property. The owners plan to raise livestock and are also considering purchasing another plot of land for growing crops. Thus, in the event of a serious crisis, the ranch should have its own sources of energy and food.
The project also has an unusual digital component. The entrepreneurs are exploring the possibility of pre-loading large language models onto computers that will be powered by solar panels. Varsavsky believes this will allow them to maintain access to at least a limited set of digital tools if the global server infrastructure stops working.
Why Argentina
Varsavski considers Argentina one of the safest places in the world in the event of a major war. His main argument is geography: the country is far from the major nuclear powers and potential targets of a large-scale conflict. In addition, Argentina has a large agricultural sector and significant energy resources.
According to the entrepreneur, the countries of the Southern Cone may be among the regions where a functioning society survives after a global conflict. This is Varsavsky’s own prediction, not an assessment guaranteeing the region’s safety.
Wamani has already encountered some very practical problems. Mendoza experiences strong winds linked to weather changes in the Andes. According to the Financial Times, these winds are sometimes so strong that it becomes impossible to remain on the open plain. There are four springs and streams on the property, but global warming is expected to exacerbate the water shortage in the Andes.
Despite this, the project continues to expand. Warsawski says that new friends want to join him, and additional homes are being built on the ranch. At the same time, the owners fear that too many people and buildings will rob Wamani of its main advantage—seclusion.
Currently, the ranch is used for more than just a potential refuge. The owners spend their vacations there together and are considering renting it out through Airbnb to make it financially self-sustaining.
Other members of the tech elite are also showing interest in Argentina. According to the FT, PayPal co-founder Peter Thiel purchased a mansion in Buenos Aires in April and moved there with his family for two months. Varsavsky, according to the publication, knows Thiel professionally and has discussed Argentina with him.
Varsavsky himself says that their investment decisions were not coordinated in advance. However, both consider Argentina an attractive potential refuge in the event of a world war.
Argentine authorities are also trying to attract millionaires
In 2025, Javier Milei’s government introduced a mechanism allowing foreigners who have made “significant investments” in the country to apply for Argentine citizenship. This is enshrined in Decree No. 524/2025 on the Argentine government’s official website.
The specific amount and criteria for a “significant investment” are set by the Ministry of Economy, and applications are reviewed by several government agencies. The mere fact of making an investment does not automatically grant citizenship.
For Varsavsky, Argentina is not just a place for a second home. He proposes turning the country into a kind of “insurance policy” for wealthy individuals and promotes the idea of a “peace of mind visa.”
It should be noted that Wamani remains a private project, not a ready-made nuclear bunker. Its creators are banking on a different survival model: a remote location, self-sufficient energy, food production, and the preservation of digital technologies.
