Serengeti retains title as Africa’s Leading National Park as Ruaha scoops the top cultural award at WTA 2026
Serengeti which is known for its annual wildebeests’ migration has however scooped Africa’s leading ‘Big Five,’ National Park at the World Travel Awards 2026 ceremony.
Serengeti, also emerged the overall winner in the Africa’s Leading National Park category of the 33rd World Travel Awards, beating the Central Kalahari Game reserve of Botswana, Etosha National Park of Namibia and South Africa’s Kruger.
The Conservation Commissioner of Tanzania National Park (TANAPA) Massana Gibril Mwishawa received the trophies during the WTA Africa Gala Night held at Diamonds Bijoux resort in Zanzibar.
In the Big Five slot, Serengeti, which won the accolade for the second time, managed to beat Akagera of Rwanda, Chobe of Botswana, its sibling, Nyerere of Tanzania and Kruger National Park of South Africa.
On the other hand, Africa’s leading Cultural National Park Title went to Ruaha, which is Tanzania’s second biggest National Park and also winning the title for the second time after debuting in 2025.
Tarangire wins Africa’s leading elephant paradise award while Nyerere National Park scoops the continent scenic title at World Travel Awards.
Nyerere, which is Tanzania’s biggest National Park has managed to scoop the World Travel Awards’ Africa Leading Scenic National Park.
On the other hand, Tarangire has grabbed Africa’s Leading Elephant Paradise National Park 2026.
This is also the second time that both Nyerere and Tarangire win those two awards.
On the other hand, Kitulo National Park, renowned for its mosaic landscape of flowery plants made its presence felt across the globe by winning Africa’s leading honeymoon destination accolade at both the 2026 and 2025 the World Travel Awards.
The victories attained by Kitulo, Nyerere and Ruaha, indicate that the southern tourism circuit of Tanzania is opening up, because the three National Parks are located in the Southern Highlands regions of Morogoro, Iringa, Mbeya and Songwe.
For many years, the Tanzania Tourism industry was concentrated in the Northern Circuit where most tourists and awards would find their way to Kilimanjaro, Ngorongoro and the Serengeti, but this time around, the World Travel Awards seem to have flown south.
There are 21 National Parks in Tanzania and so far, those that have been winning the WTA awards are the Serengeti, Ngorongoro, Mount Kilimanjaro, Tarangire, Kitulo, Ruaha and Nyerere.