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Criteria that could be used to determine habitat quality for the spectacled bear (Tremarctos ornatus) were defined in the Historical Sanctuary of Machu Picchu and 3 adjacent valleys. Habitat quality was determined by a comparison of vegetative and environmental data between regularly selected sites and sites that contained bear sign. Good grassland habitat was found to have hiding cover within 25 m in subalpine paramo, 35 m in rain paramo, and 40 m in steppe habitat. Desirable criteria for slope were maximum values that ranged between 26.6° and 46.0° for the 3 habitats. Paramo sites used for feeding were found to have at least 3 food species with a combined importance value of 6.0 in subalpine paramo and 9.0 in rain paramo habitat. Similar sites in steppe habitat had at least 2 food species with a combined importance value of 1.4. Four desirable criteria for forested habitats were based on parameters from sites used by traveling or feeding bears. Good quality sites for traveling bears had slopes less than 34.6° and less than 49% vegetation cover between 0.15 and 1 m above the ground. Forested sites that met criteria for good food quality had at least 2 bear foods with a combined importance value of at least 3.8. Better habitat with less human disturbance was found in the Lucumayo and Santa Teresa drainages bordering the Sanctuary than in the Sanctuary.