Little Petra: Everything You Need to Know
Little Petra alias Siq al-Barid, as the name suggests, is an ancient city similar to the famous Petra, only on a much smaller scale. Are you wondering whether is Little Petra worth visiting, how much time do you need for your visit, or do you need to know how far is Little Petra from Petra, how much is the entrance fee or where to stay? We've got you covered.
Little Petra, also known as Siq al-Barid, was on our list of the things to see and do in Jordan from the very beginning. But we know that many travelers are hesitant to visit Little Petra.
Yes, when we were preparing for our trip, many topics were roaming around in our heads, but visiting Little Petra was actually never with a question mark, we were very confident we wanted to see it.
Is Little Petra worth visiting?
Well, first, we must say you should never compare it with the famous Nabatean city of Petra. Even though Little Petra has the same origin, the comparison would be extremely unfair.
Little Petra, as you can tell from its name, is much smaller, and there are not that many attractions within the site. But we think that when you are in the area, you should not skip it.
The structures carved in the rock face are still impressive, the views of the mountainous landscape are wonderful, the place is not that packed with tourists, you can even use Little Petra as an alternative entrance to Petra and last but not least, this place is free.
When should you visit Little Petra - before or after the day in Petra?
Well, we think the best option would be either early in the morning before you'll be headed to Petra, so in that case, Little Petra will prepare you for the highlight of your trip to Jordan.
Or, you can follow our footsteps, and visit Little Petra the day after exploring Petra. We found it great as we arrived early in the morning, did not expect much since we had already seen Petra, but were later on pleasantly surprised, and then we could continue to Wadi Rum straight away.
In this blog post, we would like to share with you tips for visiting Little Petra altogether with practical information on how much time you need, where to stay, how to get there, or how much the visit costs.
BEST THINGS TO SEE IN LITTLE PETRA
The Arabic name of Little Petra is Siq al-Barid, which literally means a cold canyon. That should tell you right from the beginning, that you should pack a fleece jacket, as the sun does not get into the narrow gorge all day long.
History
Even though this site looks pretty similar to Petra, its purpose was a bit different.
Historians believe that this place was built during the 1st century when the Nabatean city thrived, and Litte Petra was some kind of suburb, so you will not find here tombs, but rather houses which were used by rich citizens or by travelers arriving in Petra for business.
Opening Hours
Little Petra opens every day at 6 AM. We arrived just before 7 AM, and it was only us there by that time. Vendors were slowly opening their stalls, we even saw a few bedouins still sleeping inside the caves wrapped in blankets, the same way as their ancestors centuries ago.
We believe later during the day or in the high season this site is much busier, and you will probably be asked by locals if you need a guide (we think it is not necessary), or if you want to buy a souvenir, but our visit was absolutely hassle-free.
Actually, we had a company. A white playful dog decided to follow us, and he even posed in front of the temples.
Little Petra Siq
From the car park, we walked a well-trodden path, which took us to Little Petra Siq.
This Siq is much shorter than the one in Petra which leads to Treasury, but that was what we expected. The Siq is quite narrow, but from time to time opens out into wider areas, which usually feature temples carved in the mountain.
Temples
You can find here temples, some of them still have visible stone stairs leading to them, so you can have a look at how it looks like inside, and a little bit further you can spot four triclinia. The term triclinium comes from Roman times and means a dining table with places to sit along its three sides.
Here in Little Petra, these four triclinia most likely served as a meeting point for visitors and local merchants.
Painted House
The most notable sight here in Little Petra is Painted House, located in one of the open sections. Painted House is a biclinium, a smaller dining area, which is famous for the frescoes you can see on the ceiling.
Then the canyon narrowed down again, and we had to climb up several rock-cut stairs in order to get to a wonderful viewpoint.
Viewpoint
The view of the wadi is absolutely breathtaking, so stay here for a while, and enjoy the peaceful atmosphere. The walk around Little Petra is one-way only (if you do not want to get to Petra).
So now we had to get back to our car on a parking lot.
HOW MUCH TIME YOU NEED FOR VISITING LITTLE PETRA
Little Petra covers a much smaller area than Petra. In Petra, we spent all day, and for sure did not see everything.
For Little Petra it is enough to allocate an hour, hour and a half of your time.
During this period we could walk through siq, along the main street lined with carved structures, and then we emerged on the viewing platform. If you plan on hiking in Little Petra area, of course, you will need more time.
It is possible to get to Petra via an alternative entrance from Little Petra, you only need to follow a trail from Little Petra to Monastery Ad Deir.
This 6-kilometers long hike is not formally signposted, so it is better to hire a guide.
HOW TO GET TO LITTLE PETRA
Little Petra is only a short detour off King's Highway. If you have a rental car, you should definitely include this place in your Jordan itinerary. And if not, there are still ways how to get there, so no worries.
From Wadi Musa, it will take you 15 to 20 minutes by car (it is 10 kilometers) to get to Little Petra.
Follow Tourism Street, and just before the entrance to Petra, turn right. On the way, you will drive through a small settlement Umm Sayhoun, where you will turn right, and the road will take you to Little Petra.
The road from Wadi Musa to Little Petra is very photogenic, we stopped very often to take photos, so add to the driving time approximately ten minutes.
There is no public transport running between Petra and Little Petra you could rely on, but it is possible to hire a taxi driver.
The return ride together with waiting time should not cost more than 20 JD, any hotel in Wadi Musa will be able to help you to arrange a driver. Or you can book a tour.
You can either join a tour from Amman which includes both Petra and Little Petra.
Or try this unusual 4x4 Safari in Little Petra which also includes pick-up from Wadi Musa.
ENTRANCE FEE TO LITTLE PETRA
There is no entrance fee to Little Petra. Yes, you hear it right, this site is completely free. You do not need to buy any ticket or show Jordan Pass.
This is one of the main reasons why you should not skip Little Petra, there is nothing you could lose.
Petra itself is pretty expensive, and because Little Petra is often overlooked by travelers seeking the famous UNESCO site (although Little Petra is a part of this archeological complex), we think that free admission is a great way how to attract more visitors.
We've heard that bedouins sometimes try to persuade travelers that they should pay for a ticket, but really, as of 2020, this is only a shady practices.
We were in Little Petra early in the morning, and locals were not even there, so we did not experience any troubles.
Travel Insurance
We never leave home without travel insurance that was designed to cover our expenses if something goes wrong during the trip.
Travel insurance protects against theft, flight delays, injury, illness, cancellations, and much more.
World Nomads provides travel insurance for travelers to cover their trip essentials, including sports and adventure activities.
SafetyWing is affordable travel insurance for backpackers, long-term travelers, and digital nomads.
Travel smarter and safer!
WHERE TO STAY IN LITTLE PETRA
Even though many travelers, including us, usually decide to base themselves in Wadi Musa, as close to the entrance to Petra as possible, many new establishments actually grew around the entrance to Little Petra as well.
Since Little Petra is a short drive from Wadi Musa, you can either decide to stay there, but those of you looking for a more authentic place to stay overnight can easily find accommodation near Little Petra.
Some of the places are basic, some of them more luxurious than you would imagine finding in this part of the country.
We've handpicked three best hotels for you - two of them near Little Petra, one in Wadi Musa.
Budget | Little Petra Bedouin Camp - This campsite is basic, but it offers everything you need for an overnight stay. Walking distance from Little Petra, a romantic atmosphere and great dinner, are the main features.
Mid-range | Town Season Hotel - This well-rated hotel in Wadi Musa has beautiful decor, the staff is friendly and the location is also very convenient. This is for sure one of the best pics for visiting Petra the next day.
Luxury | Petra Bubble Luxotel - This must be one of the coolest places to stay near Little Petra. This resort offers luxurious tents with wonderful views, and you can expect high-end services.
Travel Resources
Here you can find links to all the travel resources we use and which you might find helpful when planning your next holiday.
Accommodation: When looking for accommodation, we usually search hotels via Booking.com or Hostelworld.
Tours: Although we love to travel independently, some places are better to visit with a guided tour.
We prefer GetYourGuide for its easy-to-use interface and solid reputation. Another great alternative is Viator.
Rental Cars: When going on a road trip, we always use Rentalcars.com, a reliable site for booking a rental car in advance.
Flight Tickets: When looking for flight tickets, you can search Skyscanner to find the best price.
Travel Insurance: World Nomads and SafetyWing cover against risks of travel.
