Background: The forests of north-west Amazonia are characterised by the highest levels of tree diversity in the world, high rainfall and relatively fertile soils. Aims: Here we present a comprehensive description of the carbon cycle of two 1 ha forests plots in Allpahuayo, near Iquitos, Peru, one on an occasionally inundated alisol/gleysol landscape, the other on an arenosol (sandy soil). Methods: Data on the components of net primary productivity (NPP) and autotrophic respiration were collected over the period 2009-2011, and summed to estimate gross primary productivity (GPP) and carbon use efficiency (CUE). Results: Overall, these forests showed high values of GPP (39.05 ± 4.59 and 41.88 ± 4.60 Mg C ha-1 year-1). Despite the lack of a dry season, the forests showed distinct seasonality in tree growth, litterfall, flowering and fine root productivity. This showed that tropical forests with little seasonality in water supply can still exhibit distinct seasonality in NPP and carbon use, apparently synchronised to the solar radiation cycle. We found remarkably little difference in productivity between the alisol/gleysol plot and the arenosol plot. Conclusions: The GPP was higher than those reported for forests in Brazilian Amazonia on more infertile soils. The CUE was also higher, which may be related to the high forest dynamism and natural disturbance rate. These two factors combined to result in amongst the highest NPP values reported for Amazonia. © 2014 Copyright 2013 Botanical Society of Scotland and Taylor & Francis.