Little Petra (Siq al-Barid) is a miniature, largely empty preview of Petra's facades, a short drive from the main site. Right next to it sits Beidha, a 9,000-year-old Neolithic village and one of the earliest known farming settlements on Earth — and almost no standard day tour visits either.
What Little Petra Is
Siq al-Barid ("the cold canyon") is a smaller version of Petra's carved facades and narrow passages, without the crowds. It functioned historically as a suburb and caravan stop for Nabataean Petra, and its most striking feature — a painted ceiling in one of its chambers — is easy to miss without a guide pointing it out.
Beidha: Older Than Petra by Thousands of Years
Beidha predates the Nabataeans by roughly seven millennia — it's one of the earliest known farming settlements anywhere, evidence of the shift from hunter-gathering to agriculture in the region. Standing at Beidha and then walking into Nabataean Petra an hour later gives a genuine sense of layered time that a Petra-only visit doesn't.
The Walk Into Petra From the North
From Little Petra and Beidha, an ancient shepherd's route leads into the main Petra site via the back trails, arriving from the north rather than through the main gate queue — a quieter, more gradual approach to the site than the standard entrance.
Where This Fits
We include Little Petra and Beidha on both our Rift Valley Traverse and Hidden Civilizations itineraries, timed as a morning stop before the main Petra site in the afternoon.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Little Petra worth visiting if I've already seen Petra?
Yes — it's a genuinely different, quieter experience, and most visitors spend under an hour there, so it's a low-cost addition to any Petra day.
Is there an entrance fee for Little Petra?
Little Petra is currently free to enter; Beidha has a small site fee. Both are included in our itinerary pricing.