Although the Kashmir gray langur is one of the least-studied gray langur species, wildlife biologists have been fortunate to make limited direct observations. Further behavioral conclusions are based on observations of similar gray langur species.

These are primates who are both terrestrial (spending time on the ground) and arboreal (spending time in the trees). Gray langurs move quadrupedally (on all four limbs) and are inclined to run, rather than walk, whether on the ground or moving through trees. On the ground, they sometimes alternate running with walking a few steps between their gait. In the trees, they assume an upright stance and leap horizontally 12–15 ft (3.7–4.6 m) as they travel from branch to branch. Descending leaps can be as much as 35–40 ft (10.7–12.2 m). Gray langurs are also known to hop bipedally (standing upright, hopping on the two rear limbs). And they are capable of swimming, if they must. One wildlife study reports that after several langurs accidentally fell into water, they swam to the safety of solid ground.

Kashmir gray langurs are diurnal, meaning they are active during daylight hours. Activity budget for a typical day is spent accordingly: feeding (39.8 percent), resting (29.2 percent), traveling (17.5 percent), grooming (9.5 percent), and huddling (3.2 percent), with other activities filling any gap. Wildlife researchers have observed significant differences in the amount of time spent by male, female, and juvenile langurs in social activities and feeding. Males appear to spend more time feeding and foraging than females, and juveniles spend the most time in social activity such as play. Playing is more than a casual, fun pastime: it serves to develop physical and behavioral development, along with helping to develop social bonds. Wildlife researchers observed no significant time differences spent resting and traveling among troop members.

At night, Kashmir gray langurs sleep in trees that are up to 39.4 ft (12 m) tall, among the highest branches. They might also choose man-made structures like towers and utility poles in areas of human settlements.

Seasonal changes influence these primates’ behavioral strategies and their daily activity budget. As an example, during winter months Kashmir gray langurs spend far more time foraging (as available food is often hidden beneath snow cover) and spend less time resting. These large primates must fuel their bodies to maintain a stable internal core temperature, known in science-speak as “thermoregulation,” as they withstand harsh environmental conditions.

They might spend more time huddling in winter months. Known as “social thermoregulation,” group members who huddle together benefit from one another’s body heat; they are able to stay warmer, expend less energy, are less exposed to environmental stress, and increase their chances of surviving the winter.

A wildlife study published in 2018 presents the findings of a team of behavioral ecologists who studied huddling behavior in wild Barbary macaques in Morocco. Although these Old World primate cousins live on another continent than Kashmir gray langurs, the scientists posit that huddling behavior, which they classify as a form of social bonding, is connected to a higher level of “fitness,” a term the scientists use to measure how well wild animals cope with local ecological conditions as measured by their reproductive success and survival. They further conclude that wild monkeys who have multiple social (grooming) partners form larger huddles during adverse weather conditions, thereby increasing their chances of surviving brutal winters.