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Like many towns in Namibia, Omaruru originated as a mission station. The missionary Hugo Hahn was the first European to set foot in the area.
When Omaruru was besieged by Herero forces during the Herero/German war, it was freed by Captain Victor Franke and his men. The Franke Tower, built to commemorate this event, was inaugurated in 1908. The oldest building in Omaruru, the Old Mission House, now serves as the town museum.
The Erongo Region comprises the Swakopmund magisterial district up to the Ugab River, the the Omaruru and Karibib magisterial district. the region is sought after for its colourful volcanic landscapes, ancient rock art, strange geological phenomena and the occurrence of desert-adapted elephant and black rhino. As the region has no conservancy status, a system of local game guards has been set up to protect these animals from poachers.
Incorporating the Erongo Mountains and western escarpment, the Erongo Mountain Nature Conservancy, encompassing one of the most environmentally diverse areas in Namibia, including cultural artifacts such as rock paintings, rock engravings and prehistoric settlements. The region harbors high densities of leopard and brown hyaena. The members of the conservancy are committed to reintroduce species that formally inhabited the area, such as black-faced impala and black rhino. In terms of endemic species, the Erongo environment is one of Namibia’s hotspots.
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