Prior to identification as a separate species, specimens were thought to be of the plateau pika.

Named for the Ladakh region, they are commonly found in valleys of the mountain ranges spanning from Pakistan through India to China at an elevation between 4,300 and 5,450 m (14,110 and 17,880 ft) and are herbivores.

[1] Local names in the Ladakhi language include zabra, karin, and phisekarin.

[3] The Ladak pika is found in the mountain ranges of northern India, northeastern Pakistan, and western China including the provinces of Qinghai, Tibet and Xinjiang, as well as across the Tibetan Plateau.

[1][3] They inhabit valleys at elevations between 4,300 and 5,450 metres (14,110 and 17,880 ft),[3] and dig burrows.