Little Petra

Little Petra is also known in Arabic as Siq al-Barid "the cold canyon", comes from its orientation and its high walls preventing the entry of most available sunlight. It 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 and as its name suggests it is much smaller than Petra; however, is crammed with tombs, temples, triclinium or dining room, houses, water channels and cisterns carved into the walls of the sandstone canyons.

Little Petra is part of the Petra Archeological Park, though accessed separately, and included in Petra's inscription as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Like Petra, Little Petra is open to the public during the daytime. It is, however, operated separately, and does not require an admission ticket and fee as Petra does. The local Bedouins sell souvenirs and snacks in the small parking lot. Many visitors to Petra have increasingly been including Little Petra on their itineraries. Guidebooks recommend it as less crowded and more relaxed than Petra itself. The Painted House, which has no counterpart at Petra, has also added to the attraction.

At the west end of the canyon a set of steps leads to the top of the rock at this point a Bedouin has installed a nice tearoom so you can enjoy the stunning view. It is also possible to hike via the 6-kilometre (3.7 mi) trail from the end of the canyon that unites Little Petra to Petra´s Monastery known in Arabic as Ad Deir. Those who make the journey are advised to do so with a guide as the trail, while obvious in many places, is not formally marked. Hikers are also cautioned against attempting the trail alone, or late in the day, as nights in the region are often cold. It is also forbidden to enter Petra without having paid the site's admission.