I have been planning a visit to Peru for a year already, KLM's had a sale on its Amsterdam - Lima route, almost bought them then.
A really badly want to see Machu Picchu, but here is my biggest concern:

I want to feel what the Inca culture was about and being horded in a tourist group for the sake of taking some pictures isn't really my idea of experiencing culture.

Do you know, are there any other Inca sights similar to Machu Picchu (of course not in scale, but at least in their significance)?