Bhutan, China (mainland), India, Nepal, Pakistan, Vietnam.
North-eastern Pakistan (Murree Hills, at least formerly) east to eastern Uttaranchal Pradesh, Nepal, Bhutan and north-eastern India (central Arunachal Pradesh), adjacent southern and south-eastern Xizang, south-central and southern China (W, southern and extreme north-eastern Yunnan east through central and north-eastern Sichuan to southern Gansu, southern Shaanxi and western Hubei; reportedly also in Xining region of eastern Qinghai, in north-central China) and extreme north-western Vietnam (western Tonkin).
 
Population
Estimated population is unknown (2020) and stable.
Closely related to and often treated as conspecific with Rufous-crowned Laughingthrush (Garrulax ruficeps). Birds from north-western Himalayas described as subspecies whistleri, those from south-western Sichuan (south-central China) as laetus and those in rest of China as eous. However, distinguishing characters (including mensural differences) are extremely weak, and naming of geographical subspecies considered unwarranted.
The following 3 subspecies are recognised:
whistleri (Baker, ECS, 1921) - Kashmir to Pakistan and north-western India (Uttar Pradesh).
albogularis (Gould, 1836) - Himalayas to north-western Vietnam.