Ever watched the doomsday movie 2012 and remember the large survival arks in the Tibetan mountains? Well, something of the sort actually exists in real life right here in America (although they are not exactly the dramatic arks deep in the mountains in Tibet). One company selling survival shelters for those worried about the end of the world is Vivos. Based in California they have a number of underground shelters for the rich (they are planning to expand to Europe too).

One of their main locations is located in the Black Hills in South Dakota. Here people can flee the feared impending apocalypse. Disasters - be that plague, nuclear war, the implosion of the state, the Planet of Apes, or The Day After Tomorrow (that being said it's a bit cold in South Dakota for the Day After Tomorrow type scenario).

About The xPoint Survival Shelters

Previously it was a US Army Base called Black Hills Ordnance Depot. At this site are some 575 concrete and steel underground bunkers. Its original purpose was to be used as a military fortress to store explosives and munitions. The base didn't last long, it was first established in 1942 during the Second World War but retired in 1967. After its retirement, it was used as a cattle ranch. Today it is something very different. These mounds covering the land are now the survival retreats for the rich.

Vivos has named this site xPoint and it hasn't been used as a survival site for long )(the company Vivos only acquired it in 2016). Vivos bills xPoint in South Dakota as the largest private shelter in the world. The xPoint site itself is around three-quarters of the size of Manhattan. Vivos has other survival sites in Kentucky, Indiana, and is planning to build one in Europe. For another secretive military site, see here for 24 little-known things about Area 51.

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  • Number of Bunkers: 575 Concrete And Steel Bunkers

The name "xPoint" is meant to mean "The point in time when only the prepared will survive."

  • Capacity: Up To 5,000 Able to Survive Almost Any Catastrophy

Each bunker here is 80' by 26.5' and can comfortably accommodate up to 24 people. This is with the needed food and other necessities like fuel, medicines, etc. for a year or more.

Buying A Survival Bunker

One can lease a bunk for $1,000 per year (plus a $45,000 up-front deposit).

Private Bunker

  • Cost: One Time Upfront Payment of $45,000 Plus Ongoing Annual Ground Rent of $1,000 Per Bunker
  • Note: Bunkers Are Provided As-Is (Without Interior Improvements, or furnishings)

Shared Bunker

If the cost above is a bit pricey for folks out there, then there is also a Shared Bunker option. This option is also completely furnished and outfitted. They are stocked with a year's worth of food and supplies and everything one will need to survive the apocalypse. The sleeping accommodation is deluxe private bunks with keyed access.

  • Flood Plan: Shared 16 Person Bunker
  • Cost: One-Time Upfront Payment of $15,000 - Plus a Small Ongoing 1/16th Share of the Annual Ground Rent Together with the Common Area Fees

Decking Out The Bunkers And Other Info

The site is also centrally located so that anyone can reach it within around 24 hours from almost anywhere in the Lower 48. It is also plus or minus 100 miles from the nearest known military nuclear targets.

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It is advertised as "Away from Riots, Violence, Targets and Submersion Zones". They say:

"This former Army Munitions Depot, with 575 hardened concrete military bunkers is the largest survival shelter community on Earth, with accommodations for more than 5,000 like-minded survivalists to ride out 'the event' and the aftermath to follow."

While these are just decked-out military bunkers, they can be furnished to be one's 5-Star survival luxury shelter. xPoint has 5 bunker floorplans to choose from that follow familiar housing floor plans. Enjoy a great room, kitchen, private bedrooms, a master suite, a gym, laundry, pump rooms, full bathrooms, and more.

While many can afford to purchase a bunker, fitting them out is rather pricy. On the higher end, people can spend as much as $120,000 just for a fully built-out bunker. On the lower end, people can kit one out to a basic standard for as little as $10,000 (plus other things like a generator, water filter, and other stuff.

The Black Hills are considered one of the best places to survive disasters. It is far away from the fault lines of California and the military targets over much of America. If one is heading through this region then be sure to check out what there is to see and to in the stunning Black Hills region.

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