Antananarivo is well-placed for day trips into the surrounding highlands. The most important is Ambohimanga, the UNESCO-listed royal hill 21 kilometres north — the original Merina capital and still an active pilgrimage site. The Lemurs' Park west of the city is the most accessible place to walk among lemurs near the capital.
Further afield, the Andasibe-Mantadia National Park (about 140 km east) is reachable in a long day for those wanting to see indri in the wild — the largest living lemur, with a haunting territorial call. The journey itself, through highland rice terraces and pine forests, is as interesting as the destination. Most hotels and guesthouses in Tana can arrange transport or connect you with reputable guides.