Zelve is about 10 kilometres north of Göreme on the road to Avanos. The most common approach is from Göreme by taxi, dolmuş (shared minibus), or bicycle. The road is straightforward and the journey takes about 15 minutes by road.
Minibuses run between Göreme and Avanos and pass the Zelve turnoff — ask to be dropped at Zelve (Zelve Açık Hava Müzesi). From Avanos, the site is similarly reachable by dolmuş or taxi.
Most visitors combine Zelve with the nearby site of Paşabağ (Monks Valley), which is only a kilometre or so away and has the most striking fairy chimney formations in the region. The two sites are easily done together in a half day from Göreme.