What is in Little Petra?

Little Petra, also known as Siq al-Barid, is an archaeological site located north of Petra and the town of Wadi Musa in the Ma'an Governorate of Jordan. Like Petra, it is a Nabataean site, with buildings carved into the walls of the sandstone canyons.



Little Petra (known locally as Siq al-Barid or the "Cold Canyon") is a Nabataean archaeological site located about 5km north of the main Petra city. It served as a "suburb" or a commercial staging post for silk-road trading caravans. In 2026, the site is famous for its narrow "mini-Siq" and several remarkably well-preserved rock-cut structures, including the "Painted House"—which features the only remaining Nabataean frescoes in the world (depicting birds, vines, and flowers). It also contains ancient cisterns, temples, and tricliniums (dining halls) carved into the sandstone. Little Petra is much smaller than the main site and can be explored in about 1–2 hours. For 2026 hikers, it is the starting point for the famous "Backdoor to Petra" trail, a stunning 4-mile trek that allows you to enter the main city by the Monastery (Ad-Deir) rather than the main Siq, offering a more peaceful and dramatic entrance to the Rose City.

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Bottom line... yes, I'd say that a visit to Little Petra is worth an hour or so of your time. There's no admission fee, it's much less crowded than Petra, the buildings are interesting and the scenery through the desert to get there is worth it alone.

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Little Petra, or as the Arabs call it Sik al-Barid (Cold Canyon), was the northern satellite of the main city and in many ways resembles Petra, therefore it has earned its nickname. Archaeologists believe that it was built at the same time as Petra.

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Some main archeological sites inside the city are the Treasury – the tomb of a Nabatean king, the Monastery – an isolated mountain temple, a theatre, government buildings and dwelling for regular people.

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The trail for the Little Petra to Petra Walk starts at the left of the car park, behind the souvenir shops (it really isn't obvious!). From here the track goes out into the desert following jeep tracks, and you pass by Bedouin tents, goats, camels and the occasional stray dog that loved menacingly barking at us.

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Many people know of Petra's famous Treasury from the Hollywood film “Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade” with Harrison Ford. It's inside that Ford finds the Holy Grail.

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We know that these nomadic merchants became very rich as desert traders, and slowly gave up their goatskin tents to build the grand houses and monuments that became Petra. But it is a mystery why these people gave up their nomadic life to settle down in one place. The nomadic Nabataeans settled in the city of Petra.

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The Outstanding Universal Value of Petra resides in the vast extent of elaborate tomb and temple architecture; religious high places; the remnant channels, tunnels and diversion dams that combined with a vast network of cisterns and reservoirs which controlled and conserved seasonal rains, and the extensive ...

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Treasury Al-Khazneh The Treasury at Petra, also known s Al-Khasneh, is one of the best-known relics of the Ancient World.

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The best time to see Petra is in the early morning or late afternoon, so plan for an early start, or arrive the evening before to stay in one of the comfortable hotels in Petra.

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Monday and Tuesday tend to be the quietest days as many people arrive in Amman on the weekend, then stay a few days in the north and then come to Petra. So usually Wednesday and Thursdays are the busiest weekdays.

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There isn't a strict Petra dress code as such. It's the biggest tourist attraction in Jordan, so people pretty much wear what they like when they visit Petra, However, bear in mind that the site of Petra is huge, so be prepared to do a lot of walking.

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Petra is well-equipped with toilets, with toilet blocks at the visitor's centre, near the Theatre and museum. There are also portaloos at the start of the Siq and at a couple of cafés.

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You can totally visit Petra by yourself—we did! If you're visiting several areas in Jordan, a tour guide and driver may simplify things, but it's certainly not a requirement.

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It is believed that Moses' brother Aaron died and was buried in the Petra area and a white-domed mosque, built in the 14th century, commemorates this.

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The Holy Chalice vessel, or Santo Cáliz, is an agate cup preserved in the Cathedral of Valencia. It is the object most commonly credited as being the actual Holy Grail used by Jesus during the Last Supper. It is preserved in a chapel consecrated to it, where it still attracts the faithful on pilgrimage.

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Several bullet holes on the facade of the Treasury were caused hundreds of years ago by Bedouin tribesman hoping to uncover riches that they believed were hidden within. The giant urn carved above the Treasury bears the most bullet marks as it was believed to be holding riches inside.

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Venturing to Petra from Israel is possible by crossing one of the three borders. The border crossings in Eilat (Wadi Arava Crossing) and Beit Shean (Sheikh Hussein Crossing) issue visas on arrival. Some restricted nationalities are required to pre-arrange a visa, so be sure to check your requirements.

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While you are not allowed to stay overnight unaccompanied in Petra, you can book a traditional Bedouin cave stay. Most hosts offer the full traditional experience, including dinner cooked over an open fire, the option of sleeping under the stars, as well as transportation back to the park entrance in the morning.

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