Which would you recommend for a trip with my family in december? We want to see the amazon river and not sure where to go. Has anyone ever been to Cumaceba lodge in Iquito?

FYI - I haven't been there, but just to make it clear, Cumaceba lodge isn't in Iquitos (which is a city), but down the river.

Please excuse me if you already knew that.

Lewis_Johnson: When you went to Celiba top did you see the pink dolphins and see the river houses of Belin and do a night tour and go fishing for pharana? Can you Has anyone heard of Heliconia river lodge?
I do know that cumaceba lodge is not in iquito. My husband wants to see the amazon river and i am thinking we are better off going to a river lodge near iquito then Puerto Maldonando. The only thing is that we will have to do an extra flight because there is no flights from Iquito to Cusco so it will cost more money. I am afraid if we go to Puerto Maldonando it will be similar to Tortoguero in Costa Rica. I figure if the river lodges near Iquito is like costa rica at least we saw the amazon river.

Also can you tell me alittle more about celia top? It looks like it is more money then going to Cumaceba lodge or heliconia lodge? is it worth the extra money cause it adds up when you have 4 people?

I haven't been to Peru yet, but from my research, there's one thing I can tell you.

You said your husband wants to "see the amazon river". As far as I know, you can't see the actual river in Puerto Maldonado. It is the Amazon basin, and you can see rain forest there (and other rivers), but not the actual amazon.

That is what I was thinking that the real amazon river is by Iquito. My family went to a river lodge in Tortouguero, Costa rica which sounds similar to Puerto Maldonado and Iquito but at least Iquito is the Amazon River. I am thinking of going to Heliconia River Lodge cause of the activities they offer.