Lake Titicaca is home to master totora reed boat builders. This is where the Thor Heyerdahl's "Kontiki" was built.

Along the lake shore, totora reeds are collected into floating bundles. They are then towed, barge-like, back to the village and tied into boats while still moist, then left to dry in the sun. Life span of a totora boat is about one year, at which time the reeds become waterlogged and deteriorate.